According to the Global News agency, both China and the Philippines, but also Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan claim the rights to the Scarborough shallow and other places in the South China Sea. It is about control over one of the most important Asian sea routes, which has been the subject of dispute for years. Maneuvers lasting for several days, according to the security issues of the United States Naval Institute (USI), were “the greatest army of troops in Southeast Asia since the crisis in Eastern Timor in 1999”
“Alon” maneuvers. They practiced “reacting together” to challenges
A total of approx. 3.6 thousand took part in the maneuvers. soldiers, most of which from Australia and the Philippines. -Alon 25 exercises are for us an opportunity to practice cooperation and respond to security challenges and to projection forces at long distances in the Indo-Pacific region-said the Vice Admiral of the Australian Navy Justin Jones during the opening of maneuvers, quoted on the USII website.
Actions during this year's edition were focused on the areas of Palawans and Luzon (Philippines), and among the most important exercises were, among others Entrance operation of joined forces and mass air metastasis of Australian soldiers. Soldiers also practiced defense against simulated air attacks, sea landing, beach attacks, fighting submarines, the use of fighter aircraft and combat helicopters. Each of the three countries sent their ships to the Chinese sea.
The exercises took place after several incidents in the South China Sea, including clashes around the Scarborough shallow. It took place, among others To the collision of the Navy Destroyer of the Chinese People's Army with the boat of the Chinese coast guard, an incident with the use of a water cannon, the capture of a Filipino plane transporting journalists through the Chinese fighter.
