5/1/24, 10:52 PM Beijing warns against flexing of ‘gunboat muscles’ as US and Philippines begin military drills | South China

rills | South China Sea | The Guardian

South China Sea

Beijing warns against flexing of ‘gunboat

muscles’ as US and Philippines begin
military drills
The annual Balikatan, or ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ drills will for the
first time take place outside of the Philippines’ territorial waters

US and Filipino soldiers during a jungle survival drill. China has warned against flexing of ‘gunboat
muscles’ as the Philippines and US begin military drills. Photograph: Philippine Marines Corps/PUBLIC
AFFAIRS OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA

Helen Davidson in Taipei

Mon 22 Apr 2024 00.53 EDT

A Chinese military official has warned against countries flexing “gunboat

muscles”, as the Philippines and US begin three weeks of unprecedented
joint drills in the South China Sea.

The annual Balikatan, or “shoulder-to-shoulder” drills, began on Monday

and will run until 10 May. For the first time the exercises will be held
beyond the Philippines’ territorial waters – 12 nautical miles offshore – and
will involve the Philippines coast guard (PCG) in an active role. They will
also involve other countries in secondary or observer roles, including
Australia and France.

This year’s drills are the second largest in its history, with 17,600
personnel simulating the retaking of islands near Taiwan. The Philippines
military says the exercises are “not explicitly tied to any particular
country’s actions”, but observers widely believe them to be in response to
China.

At a naval conference in Qingdao on Monday, Zhang

Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission which oversees
China’s armed forces, said the sea should not be an arena in which
countries can flex their “gunboat muscles”.

“Reality has shown that those who make deliberate provocations, stoke
tensions, or support one side against another for selfish gains will
ultimately only hurt themselves,” Zhang said.

“Carrying out maritime containment, encirclement and island blockades

will only plunge the world into a vortex of division and turbulence.”

Zhang, who is a close ally of President Xi Jinping, said China was

committed to resolving maritime disputes through dialogue but wouldn’t
allow itself to be “abused”.

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US embassy representative Robert Ewing poses with Filipino and American soldiers during
the opening ceremony of the United States-Philippines Balikatan Exercise. Photograph: Daniel
Ceng Shou-Yi/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

China’s government claims most of the South China Sea, including islands
and shoals also claimed by other countries like the Philippines. Beijing
repeatedly says it pursues dialogue to resolve the disputes, but makes
clear this is largely on its own terms.

China rejected a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal that found its

sweeping claims had no legal basis. It has continued to build military
structures, occupy islands, and reclaim lands in the South China Sea at a
greater rate than other competing nations, and uses its coast guard, navy
and paramilitary fishing fleet known as the maritime militia, to maintain a
heavy presence in the area, occasionally engaging in confrontations with
others.

Experts say China’s South China Sea disputes with the Philippines are in
danger of escalating. The coast guards of the two nations have come to
blows several times in recent months, including in collisions which each
side accuses the other of deliberately causing.

The Chinese coast guard has also used powerful water cannon against
Philippines vessels attempting to resupply a strategic Philippines military
outpost on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

Tensions between the two nations have also deepened as the Philippines’
government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr strengthens its relationship with its
treaty-ally, the US, and other allies like Japan, after the previous president
had drawn closer to China.

Zhang was addressing the 19th biennial meeting of the western Pacific
naval symposium, which sees more than 180 senior navy representatives
from 29 countries gather for closed door meetings and public events.
Representatives from the US, UK, France, Australia, Cambodia, Russia and
Japan, are among the attendees according to Chinese state media.

The meetings are expected to include discussions on the Code for

Unplanned Encounters at Sea, a set of guidelines meant to de-escalate
tensions between militaries at sea.

Reuters contributed to this report

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