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Against the backdrop of rising tensions with China in the South China Sea, the Philippines and the United States will conduct their largest joint military exercises since 2015 this year, said Manila’s army chief on Wednesday.
The exercises highlight strengthened ties with the United States under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and come as the Philippines condemns China’s “aggressive” moves in the disputed waterway, including the use of a “military-grade laser” against one of Manila’s warships earlier this month.
The annual “Balikatan” exercises will be undertaken in the second quarter and will involve more than 8,900 troops, according to army head Romeo Brawner.
Brawner stated, “All of these exercises are in response to all potential threats, both manmade and natural, that we may face in the future.”
President Marcos called the Chinese ambassador on Tuesday to express “serious concern” over the frequency and intensity of China’s activity in the South China Sea, which China claims as its territory.
The deployment of a laser by China against a Philippine vessel on February 6, which China’s foreign ministry claims was legitimate, has prompted Australia, Japan, and the United States to express alarm and support.
Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder stated on Twitter that the United States will “redouble its efforts with our Philippine ally” to improve the Philippine military and coast guard’s defense capabilities “as we work shoulder-to-shoulder to uphold the rules-based international order.”
The Philippines has allowed Washington greater access to its military sites as part of the latter’s efforts to prevent China’s increasing aggressiveness in the South China Sea and conflict over self-ruled Taiwan.
More than 11,000 soldiers from both nations participated in the combined military exercises in 2015.
“The exercises will involve a myriad of activities, not just focused on developing the warfighting capability of both armed forces, but also of the other non-traditional roles such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” Brawner added.
»Philippines and United States to conduct largest war games in years«
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