US, Philippines hold maritime drill in disputed South China Sea waters

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US and the Philippines recently held a joint maritime drill in disputed waters of the South China Sea, drawing criticism from Beijing.

In a statement posted Tuesday on US social media platform X, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it conducted a joint maritime exercise with the US Indo-Pacific Command.

The exercise was held on Jan. 25 and 26 in Bajo de Masinloc, known as Huangyan Dao in China – an area claimed by both Beijing and Manila.

The drill marked the first US-Philippines maritime cooperative activity of 2026 and the 11th such exercise between the two allies, according to the statement.

“Participating units conducted a series of combined naval and air operations,” it said, mentioning replenishment at sea, surface warfare exercises, night steaming in company, photo exercises and passing exercises.

In response, Chinese Air Force Senior Col. Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, criticized the Philippines for undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

He accused Manila of “co-opting countries outside the region to organize so-called joint patrols.”

According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, Tian said the theater command’s naval forces conducted a routine patrol in the South China Sea on the same dates as the drill.

“The theater command forces will resolutely safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and firmly uphold regional peace and stability,” he said.