April 22 (UPI) — The United States and the Philippines kicked off their most extensive joint military exercise ever on Monday, with drills scheduled in the tense South China Sea amid warnings from China over its territorial claims.
More than 16,000 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military will participate in the 39th annual Balikatan exercise, which runs until May 10 and will include a joint sail outside of the Philippines’ territorial waters for the first time.
Balikatan, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, will include live-fire missile launches and a boat-sinking drill in the South China Sea, where China has increased its use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers in territorial faceoffs with Philippine vessels.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a contention that an international tribune in The Hague rejected in 2016.
Advertisement The exercise will also include training on maritime security, amphibious and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and disaster relief scenarios.
The United States and the Philippines will be joined by the French navy for a trilateral maritime exercise held beyond the Philippines’ territorial waters for the first time.
China condemned the upcoming exercise last week, saying it would only serve to increase tensions in the region.
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22 April (UPI) – On Monday, the US and the Philippines began their largest-ever combined military drills. The exercises will take place in the tense South China Sea in response to China’s warnings regarding its territorial claims.
Over 16,000 soldiers from the Philippine and United States armed forces. s. The military will take part in the 39th annual Balikatan exercise, which takes place until May 10 and features the first-ever joint sail outside of Philippine territorial waters.
The scope, scale, and complexity of the exercise have all been increased across all domains, according to U. s. Director of Exercise Lt. Gen. during Camp Aguinaldo’s opening ceremony in Quezon City, William Jurney said.
According to Jurney, “[The exercise] matters for regional peace and stability.”. Our capacity to advance regional security and safeguard our common interests is strengthened when we improve our mutual response and defense capabilities. “.
“Shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, Balikatan will feature boat sinking exercises and live-fire missile launches in the South China Sea, an area where China has been increasingly utilizing water cannons and risky maneuvers in territorial confrontations with Philippine vessels.
China asserts its sovereignty over nearly the whole South China Sea, a claim that was dismissed in 2016 by an international tribunal in The Hague.
In addition, training in cyber defense, counterterrorism, amphibious and aviation operations, maritime security, and disaster relief scenarios will be included in the exercise. For the first-ever trilateral maritime exercise, the French navy will participate alongside the United States and the Philippines outside of the country’s territorial waters.
“We are passionately dedicated to maintaining a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region with our like-minded allies,” Philippine Army Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. declared during the opening event. Because defense is a constantly changing field, we must adapt and change with it. “.”.
China said last week that the planned exercise would only serve to escalate tensions in the area and denounced it.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated, “The Philippines needs to be fully aware that tensions could get worse and the region will only become less stable when countries outside the region are brought into the South China Sea to flex muscles and stoke confrontation.”.
Lin also took issue with a U being moved. S. launching system to the northern Philippines for the exercises, referring to it as a “forward deployment at China’s doorstep to seek unilateral military advantage.”. “.
President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has sought to strengthen ties with Washington following the dismantling of the alliance by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte in an attempt to fortify ties with Beijing.
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