Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana 蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippine military is monitoring Beijing鈥檚 massive combat drills in the South China Sea, described in reports as 鈥渁 show of force鈥� in the disputed waters.
鈥淥f course. Our Navy and Air Force are鈥� Para alam natin kung ano ang mga ginagawa nila (So that we know what they鈥檙e doing),鈥� he told reporters聽Wednesday聽when asked if the military is keeping an eye on the exercises.
Satellite images from Planet Labs, which were obtained by Reuters, showed at least 40 ships and submarines flanking China鈥檚 aircraft carrier Liaoning off Hainan Island in the South China Sea this week, to which analysts described as 鈥渦nusually large display of the Chinese military鈥檚 growing naval might.鈥�
But Lorenzana seems not to be worried yet, saying he believes that China will not provoke trouble in the strategic waterway.
鈥淚 dont鈥檛 think we should,鈥� he answered when asked if the Philippines should be alarmed over drills.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 believe the Chinese will act provocatively by bringing their warships, much more their aircraft carrier in disputed waters,鈥� he said.
The drills come after a US guided-missile destroyer, USS Mustin, carried out a freedom of navigation operation in Mischief Reef, an island controlled by China but is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
China has claimed almost the entire South China Sea and has carried out extensive reclamation work in recent years. The islands have military capabilities which have become a cause of concern by several nations. /je