the Philippines launches its two-day joint sea and air exercises with the United States Canada and Australia on Wednesday August 7th as Beijing presses its territorial claim over the South China Sea in a joint statement at top military officials of the four Nation say the Maneuvers will be held within the Philippines exclusive economic zone and showcase the nation's Collective commitment to strengthen Regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo Pacific the military officials also say that Naval and Air Force units of participating Nations will operate together enhancing cooperation interoperability between their armed forces the exercises come as China's saber rattling towards Taiwan and over the South China Sea which fuels fears of a potential conflict that could drag in the United States Beijing claims most of the Strategic South China Sea dismissing an international tribunal ruling that its claims were without basis last week Manila held separate Naval exercises in the South China Sea first with the United States followed by the exercises with Japan 2 Days Later the Philippines has a mutual defense treaty with the United States and signed a treaty with Japan last month that will allow the deployment of troops on each other's territory a top Filipino military official says that the multilateral maritime Cooperative activity will be the first as a group by the four nations and will involve Naval and Air Force units a joint Coast Guard exercise is also scheduled off Manila Bay on Friday between the Philippines and Vietnam