The US Navy's Pacific Fleet reported a two-day joint war exercise in the South China Sea, involving the United States, Canada, Japan, and the Philippines. The exercise, aimed at increasing pressure on China, took place amidst longstanding territorial disputes in the region. China claims most of the South China Sea, leading to conflicts with neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
A significant point of contention between the Philippines and China is the Second Thomas Shoal. In 1999, the Philippine Navy established a temporary base on a World War II-era ship near this area, which is about 200 kilometers from Palawan. Tensions escalated in 2012 when China’s People’s Liberation Army seized control of Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines, heightening the risk of conflict.
The South China Sea is a critical trade route, with about 21 percent of global trade passing through it as of 2016, a figure that has since increased. The ongoing disputes and military exercises are causing concern among military and diplomatic circles. Many believe that this quadrilateral naval exercise could further strain relations between the United States and China.
