Philippine forces retake an island in mock combat as China's navy watches

Philippine forces person staged drills that included seizing an land successful nan South China Sea arsenic Chinese navy ships kept watch from a distance

THITU ISLAND, South China Sea -- Philippine forces practised retaking an land successful nan South China Sea Wednesday successful nan first specified combat workout successful nan disputed waters arsenic Chinese navy ships kept watch from a distance, nan Philippine subject main said.

Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who witnessed nan drills from a navy frigate, said nan workout underscored nan readiness of Filipino forces to take sides nan country's sovereignty astatine each costs.

"We are informing our neighbors aliases whoever aliases immoderate outer forces that we are tin of defending our islands,” Brawner told a mini group of journalists invited to nan exercises, including The Associated Press.

There were nary contiguous comments from Chinese officials, but they person opposed past warfare drills successful nan South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually successful its entirety.

The long-seething territorial disputes that besides impact different claimants are a delicate responsibility statement successful nan U.S.-China rivalry successful Asia and apt will stay a awesome overseas argumentation interest for nan adjacent American president.

China has quickly expanded its subject and go progressively assertive successful pursuing territorial claims successful nan South China Sea. The tensions person led to much predominant confrontations, chiefly pinch nan Philippines and Vietnam, though nan Chinese seashore defender has had caller territorial tiffs pinch Indonesia and Malaysia.

In nan drills, a Philippine navy frigate approached Loaita Island, which nan Philippines calls Kota Island, while 4 speedboats pinch marines and navy sailors landed connected its beach. A Philippine aerial unit craft later dropped nutrient and different supplies to nan forces that retook nan island.

Brawner said Chinese navy ships watching from a region “added realism to nan exercise."

The U.S. has been regarded arsenic a important counterweight to China and has supported nan Philippines arsenic it faces Chinese aggression.

Washington's backing for unhindered entree to nan South China Sea, a cardinal world waste and acquisition and information route, would apt stay a privilege for whoever wins nan statesmanlike election, Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said.

The outgoing Biden management has moved to fortify an arc of subject alliances successful nan Indo-Pacific to amended antagonistic China, including successful immoderate early confrontation complete Taiwan. America’s moves dovetail pinch Philippine efforts to statement up its territorial defense pursuing its progressively dispute territorial spats pinch China that started past year.

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Gomez reported from Manila. Associated Press video journalist Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.