United States, Japan and Philippines Hold Joint South China Sea Drills

From July 21‑25 2026, the United States, Japan and the Philippines conducted a five‑day maritime exercise in the South China Sea. The drills involved warships, coast‑guard vessels, surveillance aircraft and fighter jets, and were described by the Philippine military as a step to improve interoperability and demonstrate the partners’ enduring partnership for peace and stability in the Indo‑Pacific.

The exercises followed recent tensions: the Philippines said a Chinese coast‑guard crew struck a Filipino sailor with a baton at Second Thomas Shoal, while Chinese vessels fired water‑cannon near Scarborough Shoal. China accused the Philippine vessels of initiating the incidents. During the drills, new Philippine armed‑forces chief Antonio Nafarrete visited the occupied Thitu (Pag‑asa) Island and pledged to strengthen its defence. China maintains its sweeping claim over the South China Sea and rejects the 2016 arbitral ruling.