Balikatan exercise begins amid Chinese presence near Second Thomas Shoal

A Balikatan exercise director stated on Monday that there would be no issue with China's presence during the Philippine-US maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as long as international law is adhered to.

Philippine Navy spokesperson Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said Tuesday that while China is not expected to interfere, appropriate measures are in place for any contingency.

The Philippines and the US officially began their annual joint military exercise or Balikatan on Monday, which includes its first multilateral maritime exercise involving the navies of the Philippines, US, and France from April 25 to May 4.

Former US Air Force official Ray Powell reported that two Chinese maritime militia ships were near Second Thomas Shoal for six hours before returning to Mischief Reef, raising questions about their intentions.

Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated in recent months due to a series of incidents in disputed waters, with both sides trading accusations.

China's claims over almost the entire South China Sea overlap with those of several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.