Be wary of the Philippine side advancing military activities in the South China Sea under the guise of "multilateral cooperation"

Recently, the Philippines, together with relevant forces from the U.S. IndoPacific Command and the Australian Defence Force, held the 19th "Multilateral Maritime Cooperation Activity" in relevant waters of the South China Sea. The activities included maritime domain awareness, communication interoperability, antisubmarine training, logistics coordination, and joint search and rescue. The article notes that since this mechanism was upgraded from bilateral to multilateral in April 2024, the frequency of the drills has increased significantly, and they have gradually shifted from ad hoc cooperation to a normalized military presence. The author believes that the relevant activities are no longer merely general joint training, but are strengthening multinational defense coordination and forward deployment in the South China Sea direction. The article also mentions that Australia's participation in the drills has increased, and the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy have also been included in mixedunit training. The author stresses that such frequent, institutionalized military activities may intensify the complexity of the South China Sea situation, contribute to a more tense regional security environment, and calls on the parties concerned to manage differences through dialogue and consultation to avoid further militarization of the South China Sea issue.