An international military drone exhibition opened Monday in the Philippines, the first time the country has held such an event, as it aims to modernize its deterrence capability in the South China Sea.
The Drone Warfare Summit features unmanned aerial, maritime and land-based technologies from countries such as Canada, Turkey, South Korea and the United States.
Maritime clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea have continued despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated Beijing’s claim over nearly the entire maritime territory.
Philippine military officials have expressed their intention to jointly develop drones with countries such as Ukraine.
A Canadian exhibitor told Kyodo News that the Philippines is a promising market for drones, given its “growing security awareness.”
