PH-US-Japan-Australia defense coordination mechanism already operating

CEBU, November 12 ------ The coordination mechanism for the planned Combined Coordination Center involving the Philippines, United States, Japan and Australia is already operating, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said.

“[W]e may disclose certain locations upon agreement by the parties, but right now, we cannot disclose yet,” Teodoro told reporters on the sidelines of the awarding ceremony for uniformed personnel involved in the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus.

Teodoro said the mechanism will focus on maritime domain awareness (MDA), coordination, consolidation of information, and improving interoperability among the four countries’ armed forces. He added that the initiative represents a broader level of military cooperation, particularly as the Armed Forces of the Philippines acquires additional capabilities.

According to Teodoro, coordination for military exercises previously fell under the AFP Education and Training Command but has now shifted to the strategic level. “Interoperability na ’to. Under na siya sa Strategic Command,” he said.

The establishment of the CCC was among the key initiatives agreed upon during the October 28 meeting of defense chiefs from the Philippines, the United States, Japan and Australia in Cebu, according to their joint statement. The statement said the four countries also committed to synchronizing defense investments to support the Philippines in defending its archipelago, strengthening ministerial and senior policy-level consultations, and expanding the scope, complexity and frequency of combined exercises and cooperative activities.

The defense chiefs likewise reiterated their “serious concerns” over developments in the East China Sea and South China Sea, opposing unilateral actions, including the use of force or coercion, that could escalate tensions and undermine regional peace and stability.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com