The multilateral maritime cooperative activity (mmca) at the West Philippine Sea (wps) carried out by the Philippines and its allies Japan and the United States spotted a Chinese Navy ship monitoring the event.

Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad confirmed that a Chinese Navy vessel was observed monitoring the MMCA conducted by military contingents from the three countries.

“Yes, we monitored the illegal presence of a PLA Navy vessel with bow number 174 in the general vicinity of the exercise area,” Trinidad said.

He added that the Chinese vessel did not interfere with the activity, although it was spotted in the wps not far from the ships involved in the maritime drills.

Trinidad said the 15th MMCA, which was participated in by the Philippines, the United States, and Japan from Monday, 23 February to Thursday, 26 February, was completed safely and successfully.

“The exercise proceeded as planned and was completed safely and successfully. All participating units maintained professionalism, situational awareness, and adherence to international maritime rules,” Trinidad said.

Illegal

BRP Antonio Luna, one of the Philippine vessels that participated in the activity, had its commanding officer, Capt. Jennifer Monforte, saying that while there was no exchange of radio challenges between the Philippines and China, the presence of the Chinese vessel was illegal and not normal.

“Their presence is illegal because they are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and they followed us as far as Batanes,” she said.

Monforte said the MMCA should not be viewed by China or any other country as a provocation.

“We are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, and this is not the maritime domain of other countries, so this is not a provocation,” she added.

US Navy Capt. Dave Huljack, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 15, was quoted on an official US Navy website as saying that the MMCA with the Philippine Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is a testament to the strength and resilience of their bond.

“For decades, our nations have stood shoulder to shoulder, and through activities like these, we continue to build upon that legacy, ensuring we are ready to face any challenge to regional security together. The professionalism and dedication of our sailors is a direct reflection of that friendship and our shared commitment to a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Huljack said.

Several joint exercises under the MMCA were held near the Bashi Channel, which separates the Philippines from Taiwan.

Division tactics

Monforte said the MMCA marked a historic expansion as it reached waters off northern Batanes.

Since it started in 2024, this was the first MMCA to operate within an exercise range near the Bashi Channel.

“It is the first time the MMCA has reached the Batanes area. Most of the time, we do not go past Pangasinan. The significance of the exercise is to show how far our operational reach is in the West Philippine Sea area,” Monforte said.

Two Philippine FA-50 aircraft flew with a US P-8 Poseidon and Japan’s P-3 Orion in a friendly flight near the Bashi Channel on Tuesday morning, 24 February.

The BRP Antonio Luna and the US USS Dewey also sailed toward northern Luzon up to Basco, Batanes.

The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang likewise took part in the maritime drills, including division tactics, where participating vessels executed tactical maneuvers.

Monforte said the four-day MMCA improved the interoperability and strategic coordination of the Philippines, the United States, and Japan. “It is successful if we base it on the objective of the exercise, which is the enhancement of interoperability,”