The United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines will hold their first joint naval exercises in a show of force in the South China Sea where Beijing’s aggressive actions to assert its territorial claims have caused alarm.

The United States, Japan, Australia and the Philippines will hold their first joint naval exercises, including anti-submarine warfare training, in a show of force Sunday in the South China Sea where Beijing’s aggressive actions to assert its territorial claims have caused alarm.

The four treaty allies and security partners are holding the exercises to safeguard “the rule of law that is the foundation for a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region” and uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, they said in a joint statement issued by their defense chiefs Saturday.

China was not mentioned by name in the statement, but the four countries reaffirmed their stance that a 2016 international arbitration ruling, which invalidated China’s expansive claims on historical grounds, was final and legally binding.

China has refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected the ruling and continues to defy it. The Philippines brought its disputes with China to international arbitration in 2013 after a tense sea standoff.

    • Dr. Bluefall@toast.oooEnglish
      8·
      7 months ago

      They already tried other means (intl. arbitration) and China effectively told the Philippines and the tribunal to get bent.

      If China didn’t want military escalation, they should’ve participated in the arbitration proceedings in 2013 and followed whatever ruling was handed down.

      • raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.worldEnglish
        27·
        7 months ago

        Preventive escalation is basically the same as escalation. The Chinese are smarter than all of the west in their imperialism and the western world is butt-hurt that China is beating them in their own game, capitalism.

        China has managed to de-facto (financially) enslave a set of countries without firing a single shot.

        Enabled by capitalism, established by Europe and the US.

        Nevertheless, they are also a huge country with a big military, and military escalation is not even in the set of possible solutions. All it would accomplish is to de-stabilize the world further and push us way over the edge in terms of climate goals.

        If anyone is serious about defending against China, put defensive(!) systems in place in all countries were it makes sense, while also offering China something that will bring them to the table.

        Unfortunately, the west has a long history of breaking agreements and starting proxy wars, so it’s our own fault if we aren’t trustworthy.