Ships from the Philippine Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) participated in the first Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) together in the South China Sea..The purpose of the MCA was to strengthen cooperation and ties between Japan and the Philippines, ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains free and open..The Philippine Navy sent the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), a missile frigate, and the JMSDF sent the JS Sazanami (DD-113), a Takanami-class destroyer..During the exercise, two People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships, a Jiangdao-class corvette 624 with a Jingkai class frigate 574, were spotted. Reports indicate they did not interfere with the MCA, but shadowed the Japanese and Philippine ships from 4-4.9 nautical miles (7.4-9.07 km).
Ships from the Philippine Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) participated in the first Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) together in the South China Sea..The purpose of the MCA was to strengthen cooperation and ties between Japan and the Philippines, ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains free and open..The Philippine Navy sent the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), a missile frigate, and the JMSDF sent the JS Sazanami (DD-113), a Takanami-class destroyer..During the exercise, two People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships, a Jiangdao-class corvette 624 with a Jingkai class frigate 574, were spotted. Reports indicate they did not interfere with the MCA, but shadowed the Japanese and Philippine ships from 4-4.9 nautical miles (7.4-9.07 km).
