In order to improve their military cooperation in the face of China's increasing aggressiveness, the coast guards of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines conducted their first-ever trilateral drills in the South China Sea.
In the week-long Kaagapay maritime exercise, which started on June 1 in the Philippine waters outside Bataan province, some 400 coast guard members from the three countries took part, according to GMA News.
In contrast to the U.S. and Japanese coast guards, which each sent out two ships—the USCG Cutter Stratton and Akitsushima—the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG) sent out four vessels to participate in the trilateral drill.
“This first trilateral engagement between the coast guards of these nations will provide invaluable opportunities to strengthen global maritime governance through professional exchanges and combined operations,” Stratton’s commanding officer Capt. Brian Krautler said in a statement.
“Together we’ll demonstrate professional, rules-based standards of maritime operations with our steadfast partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Krautler added.
The Japan Coast Guard stated in a statement that they want to improve interoperability through communication and maneuvering drills, maritime law enforcement training, search and rescue drills, and passing drills.
The Japanese government "will concretely advance cooperation with the Philippines to strengthen maritime security capabilities and freedom of navigation," according to Kenichi Matsuda, temporary charge d'affaires of the Japanese embassy.
Australia will take part in the trilateral maritime exercise as an observer, according to PCG spokesperson Armand Balilo. He made it clear that neither China nor any other South China Sea claimants were the target of the drill.
“This is a usual routine activity among coastguard agencies,” Balilo told reporters on June 1. “There is nothing wrong with holding exercises with your counterparts.”
