Manila ( AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - Manila and Washington today begin a series of joint naval
exercises (so-called "War Games ") in the South China Sea , an area
at the center The aim of the operation - which is expected to last at least
three weeks - is to "strengthen" military ties between the Philippines and
the United States. Doubtlessly this will
lead to more tensions with China which, for now, has not officially responded to
the joint exercises. The
risk is that the war games could hasten open conflict in the Asia- Pacific
region, considered the economic and commercial resources (the area is rich in
oil and natural gas ) it offers.
The
joint annual exercises - Philippine -US Amphibious Landing Exercises ( Philbex
) - set sail from the naval base in Zambales on the west coast of the island of
Luzon , facing the South China Sea and involving 2,300 marines on both sides . The
area is located about 220 km from the Scarborough Shoal, a group of atolls that
falls within the area of jurisdiction of the Philippines and which in the
recent past China occupied with its boats and equipment.
During
the "war" operations two warships will be used and bullets and
rockets will be fired. Meanwhile
negotiations that should lead to increased U.S. military presence in the former
colony and a strengthening of the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force capabilities
are nearing conclusion . In
three weeks an official visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Manila is also
scheduled to take place, a highly anticipated event by the Philippine
government that seeks to strengthen the alliance with Washington in an anti -
Chinese pact.
Among
Asia-Pacific nations, China has the largest territorial claims in the South
China Sea, including the Spratly and Paracel Islands, which have no permanent population
but are resource rich. Regional hegemony would be strategically important for
Beijing because it would enable it to control the region's trade and natural
resources, such as oil and natural gas. Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei
and Taiwan have challenged China's expansionist aims. As well as the United
States who are moving behind the scenes to counter the imperialism of Beijing
in a strategic area of control for two-thirds of the world's maritime trade.