Italy’s carrier strike group Cavour is scheduled to sail through the South China Sea and dock in the Philippines for the first time this coming August. The Italian military announced this on July 18.

Cavour is currently in Australia as a participant in Exercise Pitch Black war games, along with forces from the US, the Philippines, Japan, Britain and Papua New Guinea. Cavour’s 23 jet fighters participated in the airflights, bombings and missile firing. This ship carries 1,200 troops. Exercise Pitch Black is launched under the auspices of the US’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, of which Australia is a major partner.

Cavour’s navigation operations will further increase the tension that the US is fanning in the South China Sea, which is designed to provoke China into war. Just in April, China and Italy had a heated verbal exchange, after Italy and other G-7 member countries criticized China’s economic policies.

While in the Philippines, Italian troops will conduct civil-military operations in the form of “humanitarian activities” such as doing surgeries for children at the medical facility inside the warship. Italy and the Philippines have no formal military relations. There is also no existing agreement regarding the presence and operation of Italian troops within the Philippines.

Italy is part of the North America Treaty Organization (NATO), the armed machinery of the US in Europe. It is the second NATO country to be embroiled in disputes in the South China Sea at the invitation of the US. Before this, the US invited France to participate in its Balikatan war games in the Philippines in April-May. About 40% of Europe’s foreign trade passes through the SCS.