Philippine, Australian officials discuss joint patrols in South China Sea

Feb. 22 (UPI) -- In a move to build up defenses in the South China Sea, the Philippines and Australia said Wednesday they are discussing a plan to organize joint patrols there.

The move comes over concerns about increasing Chinese military activities in the sea. The Philippines recently announced its cooperation with the United States, as well.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Philippines Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. met in Manila to explore forming a joint patrol.

"As countries which are committed to the global rules-based order, it is natural that we should think about ways in which we can cooperate in this respect," Marles said.

"And so we did talk today about the possibility of exploring joint patrols, and we will continue that work, and we hope that that comes to fruition soon."

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the meeting is an important step forward in building new ties with a key Indo-Pacific ally.

"I truly believe that the future lies in strong alliances and in a united front in promoting again the values that we consider important to our countries," Marcos said.

Philippine officials said on Feb. 6 that a Chinese Coast Guard ship directed a "military-grade laser light" at a Philippines ship in the South China Sea, leaving that crew temporarily blind and disrupting its work. Since then, Marcos has declared that it would not cede any territory to Chinese aggression.

Days earlier, the Philippines and the United States announced a military return to the Philippines for the first time in 30 years with the Pentagon's access to four bases.

The Philippines this month also signed a military alliance agreement with Japan. That agreement allows Japan to send troops to the Philippines for disaster response and military drills.