Metro Manila, Philippines – Australia called for disputes to be resolved peacefully and urged safe conduct at sea after recent dangerous Chinese maneuvers against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, who was in Manila for his country’s largest-ever joint military drills in the region, did not directly mention China but noted that disputes must be handled without coercion.“Disputes must be resolved by law and negotiation, not by power and might,” he said in an exclusive interview with NewsWatch Plus. “We want to see a region where sovereignty is respected and stability is maintained,” he added.Marles said Australia was bringing “the best of our capability” to the Philippines, including warships, fighter jets and electronic warfare aircraft, as part of a push to deepen defense ties with its Southeast Asian partner. “This is the largest Australian defense engagement we have ever conducted with any country, and it is happening here in the Philippines,” he said. “That speaks volumes about our partnership.”He described the exercises as a demonstration of trust and interoperability. “This is about building trust, about deepening interoperability, and about showing our shared commitment to stability,” Marles said.His remarks came after a series of confrontations in the disputed waters, where Chinese coast guard and militia vessels blocked and used water cannons on Philippine ships attempting to resupply troops stationed on a contested shoal. Manila has denounced the actions as dangerous and destabilizing.Asked whether Australia was considering deploying missile systems in the Philippines, Marles sidestepped the question. “What I would say is that Australia is bringing all our best capabilities here … this is about training, about working more closely together,” he said.
