The United States Embassy in Manila on Thursday said the deployment of US Task Force-Ayungin is part of the American military’s support to its Philippine counterparts in the South China Sea.
“Task Force-Ayungin enhances U.S.-Philippine Alliance coordination and interoperability by enabling U.S. forces to support Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) activities in the South China Sea,” Embassy Spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay said.
“This initiative aligns with multiple lines of cooperation between U.S. and Philippine forces, including the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) process and the Bantay Dagat framework… in our addition to our llong-standing shared efforts to address regional challenges, foster stability, and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” he added.
During his visit to Palawan on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III said American troops are deployed as part of US Task Force Ayungin.
‘Technical assistance’
According to the AFP, the US troops in Palawan provide technical assistance through the information-sharing group within the Command and Control Fusion Center in the Western Command.
“The US assistance enhances the AFP’s capabilities in maritime domain awareness, which aids in planning and implementing programs and activities to protect the Philippines’ interests in the West Philippine Sea”, according to AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad.
Located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan, Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but is being claimed by China as part of its territory.
Since 1999, BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era landing ship of the Philippine Navy, has been grounded in Ayungin Shoal and manned by Filipino troops, becoming a symbol of Philippine sovereignty.
In the past several months, Chinese vessels and aircraft have been blocking or harassing Philippine resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal, resulting in heightened tensions in the region.—RF, GMA Integrated News
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