China not among 14 observer countries in Balikatan 2024, says official

China will not be sending observers in this year’s Balikatan or the annual joint military exercise of the Philippines and the United States, the exercise’s executive agent Colonel Michael Logico said Thursday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Logico said that the 14 countries that will be present as spectators in the exercise are: Japan, South Korea, India, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Germany, and New Zealand.

The Army officer said that these are the only countries that were “mutually agreed” upon both by the Philippines and the US to observe the Balikatan exercise.

“I believe China has some policy issues with the United States, and these are the list of countries that have been mutually agreed upon between the Philippines and the United States,” Logico said.

In the 2024 Balikatan, military forces of the Philippines and the US are set to conduct activities outside the territorial waters of the Philippines—beyond 12 nautical miles or 22.22 kilometers off the west coast of Palawan—for the first time since its inception.

The area beyond 12 nautical miles is already considered international waters.

“This year’s Balikataan will be a showcase of our capabilities in performing our mandate in accordance with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept… That means that our exercises, our defense concepts have to go beyond 12 nautical miles in order for us to protect our national interests within our territorial waters and also within the exclusive economic zone,” Logico said.

Asked if conducting the joint military exercise beyond the Philippines’ 12 nautical miles could cause further tensions with other countries, particularly China, Logico said, “Well, that’s their problem, that’s not our problem.”

In last year’s Balikatan, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the joint exercises between the Philippines and the US should not interfere with the disputes in the South China Sea.

“Exchange and cooperation between relevant countries should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability,” Wang said.

“The US-Philippines military cooperation must not interfere in South China Sea disputes, still less harm China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests,” he added.

Balikatan 2024 is set to be held around April and May, and will involve 16,000 troops, including around 11,000 US and 5,000 Philippine personnel, according to Logico.

Among the participants are units of the Philippine Navy, US Navy, French Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News