SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES, Philippines: Australian and Filipino troops held exercises on Friday near flashpoint South China Sea waters claimed by China, with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos hailing them as an “extremely important” example of close cooperation.
China deploys hundreds of coast guard, navy and other vessels to patrol and militarize reefs in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely despite an international ruling that its position has no legal basis.
Friday’s joint drills took place at a naval base about 240 kilometers east of Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground that China seized from the Philippines in 2012 after a tense standoff.
“Considering that there have been so many events that attest to the volatility of the region, this kind of exercise, this kind of close strategic cooperation between countries around the region is extremely important,” Marcos told reporters.
“It is an important aspect of how we prepare for any eventuality,” he said of the drills, which he watched with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles.
These are the first major air, sea and land drills between the two countries. They simulated retaking an enemy-controlled island.
About 1,200 Australian soldiers and 560 Filipino marines stormed a beach in the drill, arriving in amphibious assault vehicles, by parachute and on US Osprey aircraft.
Two advanced Australian F-35 fighter jets provided close air support, and Australian warships secured the surrounding waters.
The exercise came after Chinese coast guard vessels fired water cannon and blocked a Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on August 5.
The Philippine Navy deliberately grounded a World War II-era vessel on the shoal and set up a tiny garrison in 1999 to check China’s advance in the area.
On Tuesday, a second Philippine mission managed to deliver supplies to the outpost.
The Chinese coast guard said it had decided to allow the resupply on humanitarian grounds as the Philippine vessels “did not carry illegal building materials for large-scale reinforcements.”
The Philippines hosted a meeting this week with its fellow members in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China to negotiate a code of conduct in the South China Sea.
Philippine, Australian troops practice retaking island in South China Sea drill
https://arab.news/vdsj3
Philippine, Australian troops practice retaking island in South China Sea drill
- Friday’s joint drills took place at a naval base about 240 kilometers east of Scarborough Shoal
- About 1,200 Australian soldiers and 560 Filipino marines stormed a beach in the drill
Air Canada suspends Cuba flights citing airport fuel shortage
- Jet fuel shortage linked to US blocking Venezuelan oil exports
- Cuba historically relies on Venezuela for jet fuel supply
MONTREAL: Air Canada said it was suspending service to Cuba from Monday due to a lack of guaranteed fuel supply at airports in the country, where US pressure has created an oil crisis.
“It is projected that as of February 10 aviation fuel will not be commercially available at the island’s airports,” Air Canada said in a statement, announcing it would be sending empty flights to Cuba over the coming days to repatriate people already there.
Cuba warned international airlines that jet fuel will no longer be available on the island beginning on Tuesday in the latest sign of fast-worsening conditions as the United States moves to cut off the communist-run nation’s oil supply. The shortfall is set to last from February 10 through March 11, according to a Notice to Aviation (NOTAM) published late on Sunday, and comes just two days after top officials said air travel would not be impacted by a fuel rationing plan announced on Friday.
Cuba has historically relied on Venezuela to provide much of its jet fuel, but the Caribbean island nation has not received any crude or refined products from its top ally since mid-December, when the US moved to block the South American nation’s exports.
US president Donald Trump has since vowed Cuba would receive no more oil from Venezuela and has threatened to slap tariffs on any nation sending fuel to Cuba, effectively cutting off the island’s supply of aviation gas.
Such shortfalls are not new to Cuba and many airlines already have plans in place to deal with them.
A similar crisis last year, as well as others recently, have prompted many carriers to refuel in nearby third countries, including Panama, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and the United States.
Most airline flights into Havana appeared on time and on schedule on Monday morning.
An early morning COPA airlines flight to Panama departed on time Monday, and several American Airlines flights were slated to arrive later in the day, airport officials confirmed to Reuters.
None of the major carriers servicing Cuba have yet commented on the situation.
