Philippines and Vietnam have launched their first-ever joint coast guard training exercises in the South China Sea where the countries share territorial disputes with each other as well as China.
Vietnamese coast guard patrol ship CSB 8002, with 80 crew members aboard, arrived in Manila ahead of the scheduled drills set to begin Friday.
The joint exercises aim to bolster maritime cooperation between the two countries in the South China Sea—a region China largely claims as its own, despite overlapping claims by the Philippines, Vietnam, and other neighbors.
Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard, welcomed the Vietnamese vessel, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and mutual understanding.
“This partnership is a step towards enhancing our maritime law enforcement capabilities,” Gavan said in a statement released by the Philippine Coast Guard.
Colonel Hoang Quoc Dat, vice commander of the Vietnamese Coast Guard’s Region 2, outlined the scope of the exercises, which include multiple maritime security operations.
“This will promote and enhance the efficiency of information sharing and the coordination in maritime law enforcement in accordance with international law,” Col. Dat said, reported Philippine news outlet the Inquirer. Both countries are engaged in ongoing territorial disputes with China.
These disputes have been marked by confrontations and diplomatic tensions, as China asserts sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, including areas within the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines and Vietnam.
The joint drills, which involve the Philippine offshore patrol vessel BRP Gabriela Silang, will focus on key areas such as search and rescue, and fire and explosion prevention.
