MANILA: The Philippines launched on Wednesday two days of joint sea and air exercises with the United States, Canada and Australia, a joint statement said, as Beijing presses its territorial claim over the South China Sea.
The maneuvers will be held “within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone” and showcase “our collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” top military officials of the four nations said.
The exercises come as China’s saber-rattling toward Taiwan and over the South China Sea fuels fears of a potential conflict that could drag in the United States.
Beijing claims most of the strategic South China Sea, dismissing an international tribunal ruling that its claims were without basis.
Manila held separate naval exercises in the South China Sea last week, first with the United States and then with Japan two days later.
A joint coast guard exercise is also scheduled off Manila Bay on Friday between the Philippines and Vietnam.
The Philippines has a mutual defense treaty with the United States and signed a treaty with Japan last month that will allow the deployment of troops on each other’s territory.
The “multilateral maritime cooperative activity” will be the first as a group by the four nations and involve naval and air force units, a Filipino military spokesman told AFP.
“The naval and air force units of participating nations will operate together enhancing cooperation and inter-operability between our armed forces,” said the joint statement, which did not name the participating vessels and military units.
“Australia, Canada, the Philippines and the United States uphold the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
Philippines holds joint patrols with US, Canada, Australia
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Philippines holds joint patrols with US, Canada, Australia
- The maneuvers will be held ‘within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone’
- Exercises come amid China’s saber-rattling toward Taiwan and over the South China
WHO says low taxes are making sugary drinks, alcohol more affordable
- The WHO has called for higher taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks multiple times in recent years
- “Health taxes are not a silver bullet, and they’re not simple,” said Ghebreyesus
NEW YORK: Sugary drinks and alcohol are not being sufficiently taxed and remain affordable, making it harder to tackle the chronic health problems caused by these beverages, according to two reports from the World Health Organization.
The WHO has called for higher taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened drinks multiple times in recent years, arguing it would help cut consumption of the products which contribute to diseases such as diabetes, as well as raise money at a time when development aid is shrinking and public debt is rising.
According to a report from WHO, sugary drinks have become more affordable in 62 countries in 2024 compared with 2022. In a separate report, the health agency said beer has become more affordable in 56 countries during the same period.
“Health taxes are not a silver bullet, and they’re not simple. They can be politically unpopular and they attract opposition from powerful industries with deep pockets and a lot to lose, but many countries have shown that when they’re done right, they’re a powerful tool for health,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.
Last year, the health agency launched the “3 by 35” initiative to push countries to raise the prices of sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco by 50 percent over the next 10 years through taxation.
WHO expects the tax initiative to raise $1 trillion by 2035, based on evidence from health taxes in countries such as Colombia and South Africa.
Soda makers such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, and Mondelez, which manufactures Oreo cookies, have faced scrutiny from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has pushed the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, recommending that consumers avoid highly processed foods and eat more protein and less sugar to achieve a healthy diet.
