Joint patrol challenge for Beijing

Joint maritime and air patrols in the South China Sea with the US military were launched yesterday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, calling it as a "significant initiative."

His announcement comes amid a rapid strengthening of ties this year between the defense treaty allies, including a decision to double the number of Philippine bases accessible to the US military, including some facing Taiwan.

"This significant initiative is a testament to our commitment to bolster the interoperability of our military forces in conducting maritime and air patrols," Marcos said.

The patrol would take place off Mavulis, according to Eugene Cabusao of the Northern Luzon command. The island is the northernmost point of the Philippines, located about 100 km off Taiwan.

The patrols, to be held over three days, are likely to irk China, which has warned the Philippines against activities with the United States.

Beijing claims most of the South China Sea through a "nine-dash line" that stretches up to 1,500 kilometers south of its mainland, cutting into the exclusive economic zones of rival claimants like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Marcos this year rekindled ties with Washington after its testy relationship with a predecessor who had pivoted closer to China, despite Beijing developing military installations on manmade islands within the Philippines' EEZ.

Relations with China have soured under Marcos, with repeated standoffs between Chinese and Filipino vessels in waters claimed by both countries.

The joint patrols would start in the area off the Batanes islands and head west to the South China Sea.

The Philippines is deploying three navy vessels, two FA-50 light combat aircraft and a A-29B Super Tucano light attack plane, while the United States would mobilize a littoral combat ship and a P9-A maritime patrol and P8-A reconnaissance aircraft.