MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines declined accusations from China that it was “courting influence” from external powers following the conclusion of its joint military exercise with Australia in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Friday, August 29.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), along with Australia and Canada deployed warships in the waters of El Nido, Palawan, and the eastern section of Scarborough Shoal during the biennial Amphibious Landing Operation (Alon) drills.
China’s defense ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang criticized the exercises as “repeatedly courting influence from outside powers” and accused “certain external countries” of supporting the Philippines in taking “irresponsible actions that harm the shared interests of regional countries.”
AFP Major General Francisco Lorenzo Jr., commander of the military’s Education, Training and Doctrine Command, rejected the claim, emphasizing that the exercise was intended to improve the coordination between the military equipment of the involved countries.
“There is nothing wrong with the activities that were held in the WPS,” he said in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo after the closing ceremony.
Australian Deputy Theater Commander Major General Paul Kenny, said it was “normal to train alongside allies to build interoperability”, adding that it was “normal for both parties to exercise within each other’s territories.”
During the ongoing activities of Alon,Manila and Canberra also signed a statement of intent to form a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) on August 22. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense chief Richard Marles formalized the pact which builds on existing Defense Cooperation and the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement.
Despite the reported presence of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal and other areas of WPS, Lorenzo stated that the Alon drills proceeded without interference.
