US and Philippines Hold Joint Military Exercise 美菲聯合軍演 小馬可仕上任後最大規模

The situation in the Indo-Pacific region is tense. The United States and the Philippines began a joint military exercise on the 3rd, involving more than 2,500 soldiers. The military exercise is seen as targeting China, due to recent disputes over the South China Sea, and the tense situation in the Taiwan Strait. 

The situation in the Indo-Pacific region has attracted international attention. The United States and the Philippines launched a joint military exercise code-named "Kamandag" on the 3rd. This is the largest military exercise since new Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. The two countries dispatched more than 2,500 marine corps troops combined. This joint military exercise is also seen as targeting China, due to recent disputes over sovereignty in the South China Sea and tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

Caesar Bernard Valencia, Rear Admiral, Philippines: “This year's KAMANDAG 06-2022 intends to enhance the bilateral cooperation and interoperability.”

Derek Trinque, Rear Admiral, US Navy: “We must always ensure we're ready when our nations need us. Our efforts together during this exercise will help us do exactly that.”

The Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the South Korean Marine Corps also joined this exercise as observers. The U.S.-Philippines exercise is being held in parallel with U.S.-Japan combat exercises in Hokkaido. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a previous media interview that he did not think China would immediately invade Taiwan, but was trying to establish a "new normal." Taiwan National Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng stressed that the military's combat preparations will not slow down.

Chiu Kuo-cheng, Minister of National Defense: “Our combat preparations have never stopped. We won't stop just because someone says the enemy may be slowing down. We are executing our normal combat training accordingly.”

Deputy Defense Minister Wang Shin-lung, who is participating in the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in the U.S. said in an interview that the participants had a consensus on the situation in the Taiwan Strait. He also sincerely expressed the obstacles Taiwan encountered in arms purchases and explained the current risks, as the U.S. is willing to fully assist Taiwan.

印太區域情勢受到國際關注，美國和菲律賓，3日展開代號「海上戰士合作」的聯合軍演，這是菲律賓新任總統小馬可仕上任以來最大規模的軍演，美菲兩國出動2500多名陸戰隊官兵，共同因應區域危機。近來南海主權爭議，以及台海局勢緊張，這場聯合軍演也被視為劍指中國。菲律賓海軍少將瓦倫西亞表示，今年的 KAMANDAG 06-2022，希望加強參與部隊之間，在戰術行動中的雙邊合作和相互操作性。

美國海軍司令特林克也表示：「雙方軍隊必須始終確保，在國家需要的時候做好準備，在這次演習中的共同努力，將有助於做到這一點。」

日本自衛隊和韓國海軍陸戰隊也將作為演習觀察員加入，同時美菲演習將和美日在北海道的作戰演習同步舉行。美國國防部長奧斯汀，先前接受媒體訪問時表示，不認為中國會立即進犯台灣，但試圖建立一種新常態，國防部長邱國正強調戰備不會因此緩下來。

國防部長邱國正說：「我們戰備整備的工作沒有停頓過，沒有想說因為一句話，敵人可能會緩，我們戰備整備也緩，我們按照我們正常的戰訓工作在推動。」

正在美國參加美台國防工業會議的國防部副部長王信龍，接受中央社訪問時表示，與會者對台海局勢有共識，他也誠懇表達台灣軍售狀況及碰到的窒礙，並說明當前風險，美方願意全力協助台灣。