The Philippine Navy (PN) has sailed in the South China Sea together with its counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India.
The PN missile-capable frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) participated in the at-sea phase of the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) 2023 from May 7 to 8.
A flotilla of suspected Chinese maritime militia vessels approached the AIME 2023 participants along with a survey ship identified as Xiang Yang Hong 10, according to Ray Powell, lead of the Project Myoushu (South China Sea) at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation in Stanford University.
The Chinese vessels steered towards the direction of the AIME 2023 participants while they were approximately at 125 nm east of Phu Quy Island in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on May 8, Powell said.
PH Navy in show of solidarity with ASEAN, India in South China Sea
At a glance
The Philippine Navy (PN) sailed in the South China Sea together with its counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India as Chinese vessels allegedly approached the ships that were taking part in a maritime exercise aimed at promoting peace in the region.
(Photo courtesy of Indian Navy via Philippine Navy)
The PN missile-capable frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) participated in the at-sea phase of the inaugural ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME) 2023 with other naval vessels from India, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam from May 7 to 8.
The participating vessels in the AIME 2023 include BRP Jose Rizal with an Agusta Westland (AW) 109 helicopter; India’s INS Satpura and INS Delhi; Singapore’s RSS Supreme and its naval force’s Information Fusion Centre; Brunei’s KDB Darulehsan; Indonesia’s KRI Gusti Ngurah Rai, KRI Doctor Radjiman Wedyodiningrat, and KRI Halasan; Malaysia’s KD Lekiu and a Super Lynx combat helicopter; Thailand’s HTMS Pattani; and a Vietnamese frigate.
Cambodia and Laos have no participating naval ships but they sent their respective delegations.
(Photo courtesy of Indian Navy via Philippine Navy)
“The participation of BRP Antonio Luna in AIME 2023 underscores the PN’s commitment to building bridges of friendship, as well as promoting regional cooperation for peace and security in the ASEAN region,” Ensign Menoel Orpilla, a PN public affairs officer aboard BRP Antonio Luna, said on Tuesday, May 9.
But what was supposed to be a show of solidarity for the participating countries turned tense when a flotilla of suspected Chinese maritime militia vessels approached the AIME 2023 participants along with a survey ship identified as Xiang Yang Hong 10, according to Ray Powell, lead of the Project Myoushu (South China Sea) at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation in Stanford University.
Powell, in his Twitter account, said that the Chinese vessels steered towards the direction of the AIME 2023 participants while they were approximately at 125 nm east of Phu Quy Island in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on May 8. He showed satellite images of the vessels’ interaction on his social media account.1/Yesterday a flotilla of #China maritime militia ships moving SE executed an unusual 90deg turn, spread out & began moving SW—on a course that would intriguingly lead them directly into the #ASEAN-#India Maritime Exercise group headed NE from Singapore.
— Ray Powell (@GordianKnotRay) May 8, 2023
But wait… [🧵1/5] pic.twitter.com/Bs3aPxZ6CD
“Yesterday [Monday] a flotilla of China maritime militia ships moving SE [southeast] executed an unusual 90 degree turn, spread out and began moving SW [southwest] — on a course that would intriguingly lead them directly into the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise group headed NE [northeast] from Singapore,” said Powell, a retired United States Air Force officer.
Powell shared that the Chinese vessels were eventually joined by China Coast Guard vessels with bow numbers 5305 and 4303.
The PN has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
But the current maritime situation in the ASEAN region will be among those tackled when PN hosts the 17th iteration of the ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting on Wednesday, May 10, in BGC, Taguig City.
“The Philippine Navy will be hosting the 17th ASEAN Navy Chiefs Meeting on May 10, 2023 (Wednesday), to identify more collaborative, responsive, and integrated ways to engage either through bilateral or multilateral and regional or global platforms,” Capt. Benjo Negranza, PN spokesperson, said.
This will be followed by a fleet review of participating countries in Olongapo, Zambales on May 11; and the 2nd ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise Opening Ceremony in Subic, Zambales on May 12.
The ASEAN fleet review aims to strengthen international maritime partnership, enhance interoperability, and improves the readiness of participating forces for a wide range of potential operations while the ASEAN Multilateral Naval Exercise will center on exchange of information, technical expertise, systems, and procedures for further capacity and capability development.