US Military Forms Special Task Force To Support Philippine Troops In South China Sea

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin while visiting US troops who are members of the US Task Force Ayungin. (Twitter/@SecDef)

JAKARTA - US Embassy officials said on Thursday the US military supported Philippine operations in the South China Sea through a special task force, an initiative that Manila said involved intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The Task Force-Ayungin, named after the Philippines for disputed Second Thomas Shoal, was first named this week by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit to the Philippines.

"The Task Force-Ayungin is increasing the coordination and interoperability of the US-Philippine alliance by allowing US troops to support the activities of the Philippine Armed Forces in the South China Sea," said US Embassy spokesman Kanishka Gangopadhyay.

"This initiative is in line with various lines of cooperation between US and Philippine troops," he continued, without elaborating on the type of support provided by the task force.

Defense relations between the Philippines and the United States have strengthened rapidly in recent years.

The United States says it has a legitimate interest in ensuring peace and freedom of navigation in the most contested waters in Asia, a trading traffic venue that amounts to US$3 trillion annually.

I visited the Command and Control Fusion Centerin Palawan today. I also met with some American service members deployed to U.S. Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region. pic.twitter.com/baqgo72r1T

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) November 19, 2024

I visited the Command and Control Fusion Centerin Palawan today. I also met with some American service members deployed to US Task Force Ayungin, and I thank them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region. pic.twitter.com/baqgo72r1T

The US Indo-Pacific Command and the Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the task force.

Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the Philippines' activities in the South China Sea, including its mission to resupply troops at the Second Thomas Shoal, remain a "pure Philippine operation".

"They provide support to us, for example, ISR (Intelijen, Supervision, Reconnaissance), awareness of maritime domains, but on actual direct participation, it is purely a Philippine operation," Ano told reporters, referring to the US task force.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ambassador to the United States previously said the Philippines did not ask for Washington's support to resupply its troops and the US only provided "visual images" to help.

Confrontations between Beijing and Manila have recently occurred, with China upset over the Philippine resupply mission to the army at BRP Sierra Madre, a warship that was deliberately ran aground in the net 25 years ago to strengthen territorial claims.

Tensions there have heated up several times, with Chinese coast guard accused of crashing into the ship and using water cannons, injuring Philippine personnel.

China says the Philippines is disrupting its territory and claiming indisputable sovereignty over the coral reef, which is located 1,300 km (08 miles) from its mainland and about 200 km from the Philippine coast.

The two countries have since reached "temporary regulation" for resupply missions, with no quarrels reported so far.