The United States, Japan, and the Philippines conducted five days of maritime drills in the South China Sea from July 21 to July 25 to bolster interoperability and coordination among the allies amid rising tensions with China.

During the exercises, Philippine Coast Guard reported water cannon actions by Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal, with Beijing saying it was enforcing lawful measures after Philippine vessels entered its claimed waters.

The drills featured naval warships, coast guard vessels, surveillance aircraft, and fighter jets from all three nations, though Manila did not disclose the exact exercise location.

China criticized the drills as destabilizing, accusing Japan of double standards and muttering mutual recriminations over regional security dynamics.

China maintains expansive claims in the South China Sea despite the 2016 arbitration ruling, which Beijing rejects as lacking jurisdiction over sovereignty issues.

China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the drills or China’s stance in the region.

Observers view the drills as part of a growing trilateral defense posture among Manila, Tokyo, and Washington aimed at deterring aggression in disputed maritime areas.

Philippine armed forces chief Antonio Nafarrete visited Thitu Island in the Spratlys, underscoring the importance of troops there for defending the outpost and promising enhanced operational support.

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces participated with combat troops for the first time in Balikatan and conducted its first live-fire surface-to-ship missiles outside Japan, signaling a notable expansion of its military engagement.

The exercises aim to promote peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific and demonstrate the partners’ commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the West Philippine Sea, as claimed by Manila.