U.S. backs Philippine forces in South China Sea with task force

Reuters - 21/11
The U.S. military is supporting Philippine operations in the South China Sea via a special task force, a U.S. embassy official said on Thursday, an initiative Manila said involves intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
  • Task force involves multiple lines of cooperation, official says
  • China increasingly vexed by U.S. role in South China Sea
  • U.S. support includes surveillance, Philippine official says
MANILA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is supporting Philippine operations in the South China Sea via a special task force, a U.S. embassy official said on Thursday, an initiative Manila said involves intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Task Force-Ayungin, named after the Philippine designation for the contested Second Thomas Shoal, was first mentioned this week by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit to the Philippines.
"Task Force-Ayungin enhances U.S.-Philippine alliance coordination and interoperability by enabling U.S. forces to support Armed Forces of the Philippines activities in the South China Sea," said U.S. embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay.
"This initiative aligns with multiple lines of cooperation between U.S. and Philippine forces," he said, without elaborating on what kind of support the task force provides.
Defence ties between the Philippines and the United States have strengthened rapidly in the past few years, ...
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