The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) wants to revive the trilateral exercise with its counterpart from the United States and Japan amid continued harassment of Chinese assets against the Philippine patrol mission in Scarborough Shoal.

"I think it's also important, once again, to revive the trilateral coast guard exercise. It was in 2023 wherein we had our first trilateral exercise with the Japanese Coast Guard and US Coast Guard," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, it was not conducted last year. Hopefully, this year or in the next coming years, we're going to sustain this kind of engagement of the United States and Japanese government," he added.

The three-day exercises that was held off the coast of Bataan in June 2023 was the first trilateral engagements between the coast guards of US, Philippine, and Japan.

It was participated by the crew members of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752), Japan Coast Guard Vessel Akitsushima (PLH 32) Philippine Coast Guard vessels Gabriela Silang, and Melchora Aquino. Robina Asido/DMS