PH, US, and Japan Warplanes Fly Over Bashi Channel Near Taiwan for the First Time — China Furious

Philippine, American, and Japanese warplanes flew over the Bashi Channel — the strategic waterway separating the Philippines from Taiwan — this week in a joint security exercise that marked a significant first. It was the first time the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activities (MMCA) expanded beyond the South China Sea into waters near Taiwan.

The aircraft patrolled the skies over the Philippines' northernmost Batanes islands, with naval vessels stationed west of the island chain. Armed Forces Public Affairs chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad confirmed it was the 'first time' MMCA operations were conducted in this particular operational area, extending up to Mavulis Island at the northern tip of Luzon.

The drills aimed to showcase the three nations' 'ability to operate seamlessly together in complex maritime environments,' the AFP said. Mavulis Island hosts small Philippine Navy and Marine detachments, positioned just over 100 kilometers from Taiwan — which China considers its territory and has not ruled out taking by force.

Beijing reacted angrily. 'The Philippines co-opted countries outside the region to organize the so-called joint patrols, disrupting peace and stability in the region,' said PLA Southern Theatre Command spokesman Zhai Shichen. China said it conducted its own 'routine patrol' of the South China Sea from February 23 to 26.

The expansion of joint exercises northward comes as Japan's defense posture toward Taiwan grows bolder. Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi recently suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily in any attack on Taiwan, triggering Chinese export restrictions and accusations of 'revived militarism.' Japan has also announced plans to deploy surface-to-air missiles on remote western islands near Taiwan.

Source: The Manila Times / AFP