Today: Philippines emboldened by US to Squares up Beijing at South China Sea
18Today: Philippines emboldened by US to Squares up Beijing at South China Sea.
The exercise was the first occasion that participating vessels crossed the 12-mile limit that demarcates Philippine territorial waters. That means military drills will now take place in the ambiguous region where Philippine EEZ meets Chinese-claimed land along the so-called "nine-dash line.
China has long asserted sovereignty over most of the waters in the South China Sea, which has sparked territorial conflicts with neighboring countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The Biden administration's military vow to protect Taiwan from a Chinese invasion has further increased tensions in the region, elevating the strategic importance of the South China Sea.