Australia accused of risking ‘regional peace’ with joint Philippines exercises
Just days after China flaunted its nuclear arsenal, a Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece has accused Australia of risking “regional peace”.
The Philippines and its Western allies, including Australia, are threatening “regional peace” with joint naval exercises, a Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece says.
Australian and Canadian warships joined a Philippines frigate for drills within the Southeast Asian country’s maritime territory last week.
The HMAS Brisbane and the HMCS Ville de Quebec then went on to navigate the Taiwan Strait over the weekend, sparking outrage in Beijing.
Just days earlier, Xi Jinping put China’s state-of-the-art nuclear arsenal on display with a parade that involved more than 10,000 People Liberation Army personnel.
The parade was a reflection of China’s “dedication to building a community with a shared future for humanity”, according to an opinion piece published by the Chinese state-controlled Global Times.
“It is against this backdrop of reflection and reaffirmation that the recent actions of the Philippines in the South China Sea are not only provocative but dangerously revisionist,” China-based South China Sea expert Ding Duo wrote.
“By conducting joint military exercises and patrols with the US, Australia, Canada and other external powers, Manila is actively destabilizing the region, undermining the spirit of the post-war order, and gambling with regional peace for questionable geopolitical gains.”
Mr Ding, an associate research fellow at China’s National Institute for South China Sea Studies, went on to say the “timing and nature of these activities are far from coincidental”.
“While China and other countries honored the memory of those who fought and died to uphold a world free from aggression and expansionism, the Philippines chose to stage military demonstrations that embody the very opposite of this ideal,” he said, referencing the mega military parade in Tiananmen Square last week.
“In recent months, the Philippines has systematically courted foreign military presence under the guise of ‘partnership’ and ‘interoperability.’
“Even more alarmingly, the Philippine chief of staff instructed troops to prepare for a possible ‘invasion’ of Taiwan, explicitly linking the South China Sea issues with the highly sensitive Taiwan question.
“This conflation is a dangerous rhetorical and strategic escalation.
“It suggests that Manila is not merely protecting its perceived interests but actively participating in a broader coalition aimed at containing China.”
Fears of the PLA invading Taiwan are well-known and shared by most in the Indo Pacific.
The Chinese President has said he wants to see so-called reunification with the democratically self-governing island before he dies.
Such a move would devastate global shipping routes and throw the global supply of semiconductors into turmoil.
Moreover, the Chinese have been increasingly aggressive toward Philippine vessels, routinely targeting civilian and military ships alike.
Last month, one Chinese warship crashed into a Chinese coast guard boat while chasing a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea.
Originally published as Australia accused of risking ‘regional peace’ with joint Philippines exercises
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