US, Japan, and Philippines Announce Joint Maritime Exercises Amid Tensions with China

A recent report from the Japanese media outlet Asahi Shimbun reveals that the United States, Japan, and the Philippines will collaborate for their inaugural joint maritime exercise off the coast of Japan in June. This initiative has been prompted by claims from U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area Commander, Vice Admiral Andrew J. Tiongson, who highlighted the need to counter what he referred to as China's aggressive actions in areas including Okinawa, the Diaoyu Islands, and both the East and South China seas. In his comments, he expressed a desire to establish a unified front among coast guards to respond to unlawful maritime activities.

According to the report, the upcoming drill will see participation from the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), the US Coast Guard, and the Philippine Coast Guard near Kagoshima. Vice Admiral Tiongson explained that the exercise would focus on deploying vessels for search-and-rescue training. Asahi Shimbun later revealed plans for a larger multinational exercise in Hawaii, which will include participation from South Korea and Canada, further reinforcing cooperation among civilian maritime agencies in the context of preventing military conflicts.

Chinese analyst Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, commented on the nature of these drills, noting that the use of coast guards instead of naval forces indicates a strategy aimed at avoiding direct military confrontation with China. He characterized the emphasis on the non-military aspect of the exercises as a diplomatic tactic to downplay conflict risk and present a less aggressive front. According to Da, while these drills may carry symbolic implications—signaling bolstered defense readiness for Japan and support for the Philippines regarding South China Sea issues—they ultimately represent an attempt by the U.S. to maintain regional influence without escalating military tensions overtly.

Da criticized the exclusivity of these trilateral exercises, suggesting that they lack efficacy and will not significantly impact China's lawful operations in the contested waters. He emphasized that the U.S. efforts to establish such coalitions, framed as multi-domain cooperation, could ultimately destabilize the region rather than fortify peace.