Philippine raises pitch against Chinese aggressiveness in the South China Sea; China and Russia launch their first joint naval exercises in the Yellow Sea
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    • (April 16-22, 2012)

    According to reports, Philippine President Benigno Aquino warned his country’s neighbors on April 23, 2012 that they should fear Beijing’s growing aggressiveness over its claims in the South China Sea. The President stressed that China’s territorial claims spanned a huge area and were getting “closer and closer” to the Philippine archipelago. Aquino stated, “They claim this entire body of water practically. Look at what is excluded and what they are claiming… so how can the others not be fearful of what is transpiring?”. It would be worth noting that Manila and Beijing have been locked in a standoff over Scarborough, a group of islands in the South China Sea, since Chinese vessels blocked Philippine attempts to arrest eight Chinese fishing boats’ crews earlier this month. China claims almost the entire South China Sea and is also locked in disputes with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as its rival Taiwan. 1

    Meanwhile, according to reports, China and Russia launched their first joint naval exercises on April 22, 2012, with war games in the Yellow Sea that come amid tensions between China and its Asian neighbors over territorial claims. The six days of drills are taking place off China’s east coast, the official Xinhua news agency said. China has 16 naval vessels and two submarines taking part in the exercises, while Russia has four warships, according to state media. They will focus on joint air defense, anti-submarine tactics and search and rescue, as well as simulated rescue of hijacked vessels and anti-terrorism drills. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said on April 19, 2012, “This joint military exercise is a long-scheduled one between China and Russia in order to uphold regional peace and stability”. China and Russia have together participated in four military exercises since 2005, some involving other countries. 2

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