Canada holds first joint patrol with PH, Japan, US in SCS

TRAINING WITH ALLIES The Philippine Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna leads three other participating ships during the first Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between the Philippines, the United States, Australia and Japan, in the West Philippine Sea over the weekend. —photo courtesy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Canada joined its first joint patrol with the Philippines in the South China Sea (SCS) in a multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA), along with Japan and the United States, to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight amid Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the contested waters.

The Royal Canadian Navy deployed Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal to join the Philippine Navy’s Gregorio del Pilar-class patrol ship BRP Andres Bonifacio, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Kirisame, and the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson on June 16 and June 17, the US Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) said in a statement.

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The maritime activity took place as China interfered with a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, a low-tide elevation that lies within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone, some 194 kilometers off Palawan province. The location of the MMCA was not disclosed, however.

The activity “demonstrates our collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in the maritime domain,” the Indopacom said.

The multilateral exercise involved a series of activities and maritime maneuvers to test and validate the interoperability of the armed forces’ doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures, the INDOPACOM said.

Professional interactions

“It also provided an opportunity to demonstrate professional interactions among naval and air forces rooted in long-standing military traditions and customs,” it added.

“Cooperation like this represents the centerpiece of our approach to a secure and prosperous region where aircraft and ships of all nations may fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows,” it said.

The Philippines first started a maritime cooperative activity with the United States and Australia separately in November. An inaugural MMCA by the Philippines, the US, Australia and Japan took place in April.

Japan, which is joining the MMCA for the second time, said it is committed to strengthening its partnerships with like-minded countries in upholding freedom of navigation and rule of law.

Canada, meanwhile, has consistently expressed support for the Philippines in the face of China’s coercive actions in the West Philippine Sea and called for Beijing’s compliance with the 2016 arbitral ruling that declared as baseless its claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

Early this year, Canada signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation agreement with the Philippines, which officials said could later lead to a visiting forces agreement.