AFP: No Chinese interference during PH-AU maritime drills

This handout photo taken on August 7, 2024 and released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shows (L-R) HMCS Montreal (FFH336), BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16), USS Lake Erie (CG70 and BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) sailing during the joint Philippines, US, Canada, and Australia Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.

The military said on Friday that China did not interfere with the drills that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) conducted during Exercise Amphibious Land Operation (Alon) in the West Philippine Sea, the largest iteration of the bilateral exercise since it began in 2023.

Commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Education, Training and Doctrine Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo Jr. told reporters that they did not experience interference “from any threat that are navigating in our West Philippine Sea area.”

“It (drills) was done as planned and we did not have any problem,” Lorenzo added.

Philippine, Australian and Canadian naval forces conducted a multilateral exercise east of Bajo de Masinloc on Wednesday, highlighting coordinated air defense drills and precision formation sailing as part of the broader Exercise Alon 2025.

The participating vessels, BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), HMAS Brisbane (DDG41) and HMCS Ville de Québec (FFH332), sailed from El Nido, Palawan and proceeded northward to conduct the drills, the AFP said.

The naval drills are part of a series of joint activities under Exercise Alon 2025, which involves Philippine, United States, Australian and Canadian forces operating across land, air and maritime domains ahead of the exercise’s official closing today.

The maritime exercise involved more than 3,600 personnel from four countries.

China’s defense ministry, however, slammed the Philippines for “courting influence from outside powers” in reaction to the country’s recently concluded biennial drills with Australia in the West Philippine Sea.

China’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said on Thursday the Philippines “has repeatedly courted influence from outside powers to make waves in this area.”

“At the same time, certain external countries have instigated and supported the Philippines to take irresponsible actions that harm the shared interests of regional countries,” Zhang also said.