US Allies Flex Naval Muscles Near China
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Japan, a key United States treaty ally in Northeast Asia, conducted a naval exercise in the contested South China Sea with two NATO member states, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
China's sovereignty claims over the South China Sea, which are based on what it calls "historic rights" and cover most of the waters, overlap with those of several neighboring countries.
The U.S. and its allies, including the Philippines, which has territorial disputes with China, have been carrying out naval war games in the South China Sea, exercising the freedom of navigation in international waters. Chinese warships often keep tabs on the allied exercises.
What To Know
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force said on Wednesday that a multilateral naval drill was held at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea on May 3 with the Royal Navy and the Italian Navy, strengthening cooperation to promote a "free and open" Indo-Pacific.
Participating ships were the Japanese frigate JS Yahagi, the British patrol ship HMS Spey, and the Italian frigate ITS Antonio Marceglia. The drill, which focused on maneuvering, aimed to enhance cooperation between the three navies and to improve Japan's capabilities.
The Japanese frigate JS "Yahagi," left, the British patrol ship HMS "Spey," middle, and the Italian frigate ITS "Antonio Marceglia" sail in formation in the South China Sea on May 3, 2025.
The Japanese frigate JS "Yahagi," left, the British patrol ship HMS "Spey," middle, and the Italian frigate ITS "Antonio Marceglia" sail in formation in the South China Sea on May 3, 2025.
Italian Navy
Official released photos show the three naval vessels sailed in formation, while no Chinese vessels, neither assigned to the country's navy, which is currently the largest in the world by hull count, nor attached to the powerful coast guard, were seen in the nearby waters.
Japan has long viewed the South China Sea issue as a legitimate concern of the international community. It has frequently dispatched its fleet of naval ships to the region, including the visit of a China-funded naval base in Cambodia by its two minesweeping vessels last month.
For the two European warships, the Spey is one of two Royal Navy vessels deployed to the Indo-Pacific region. It will soon be met with a naval strike group led by the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in the region, which was deployed for an eight-month mission.
The Antonio Marceglia left Italy in January for an Indo-Pacific deployment. In late April, it monitored and surveilled "illicit activities" carried out by North Korean vessels, which are banned by the United Nations Security Council resolutions, in Japan's surrounding waters.
In late April, Italian Navy frigate ANTONIO MARCEGLIA conducted 2nd monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with DPRK vessels prohibited by UNSCRs.https://t.co/JqmhvIke5z#Italy pic.twitter.com/MeW3W6wYib — MOFA of Japan (@MofaJapan_en) May 2, 2025
What People Are Saying
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said: "Japan expresses serious concern over repeated actions in recent days that increase regional tensions in the South China Sea and urges de-escalation of the tensions."
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "We are concerned by dangerous and destabilizing activities by China in the South China Sea. The U.K. and world economy depends on these trade routes being safe and secure."
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said: "[G7 Foreign Ministers] reaffirmed that there is no legal basis for China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and they reiterated their opposition to China's militarization and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the British carrier strike group will carry out any war games when it reaches the South China Sea. China previously denounced naval activities carried out by foreign countries in the region for undermining its maritime rights and interests.
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