The Philippines and the United States conducted joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines and the United States held their fifth joint maritime exercise in the South China Sea, Manila’s military said on Sunday.

In a statement, the Philippine military said it conducted “maritime cooperation exercises” with the US on Friday and Saturday, the first of the year and the fifth since the joint exercise began in 2023.

Under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., security ties between the two allies have been stepped up to Washington, allowing the expansion of military bases within reach of US forces, including facilities fighting Taiwan.

The joint maritime activity includes the US Carl Vinson carrier strike group, two missile destroyers, two helicopters and two F-18 Hornet aircraft.

The Philippine side has deployed the Antonio Luna frigate, Andres Bonifacio patrol ship, two FA-50 fighter jets and the Air Force’s search and rescue assets.

The activities “strengthened bilateral maritime cooperation and cooperation,” the Philippine military said.

In their joint action, the Philippines called out China for what it described as a “monster” vessel in its maritime zone, including a 165-meter (541-foot) long Chinese coast guard vessel.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the weekend.