The Philippines and the United States launched the largest-ever joint military drills on Monday, a day after the Philippine Coast Guard accused its Chinese counterpart of steering one of its ships within meters of a Filipino patrol boat near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
The war games are the last under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, signaling deepening defense ties as fresh tensions surface in the disputed South China Sea.
Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12-day training event across the main island of Luzon, which is usually an annual affair but was cancelled or curtailed during the pandemic.
Armed Forces chief General Andres Centino said at the opening ceremony in Manila that the largest round of the Balikatan war games reflected the “deepening alliance” between the two countries.
“In light of the volatile, uncertain and ambiguous nature of the security setting that we are faced and the fast-changing advancements in warfare, it has indeed been a shared responsibility to address our vulnerabilities and ensure that both our Armed Forces are able to promptly and effectively respond to any crisis or emergency under all circumstances,” Centino said.
US Major General Jay Bargeron said the “friendship and trust” between their respective armed forces would allow them to “succeed together across the entire spectrum of military operations.”
The exercises will cover maritime security, amphibious operation, live-fire training, and counterterrorism, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Recent maneuvers between the two countries focused on potential conflict in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.
Trillions of dollars in trade pass through the strategic sea and it is thought to contain rich petroleum deposits, making it a frequent source of regional friction.
China has ignored a 2016 ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that its historical claim is without basis.
It has reinforced its stance by building artificial islands over some contested reefs and installing weapons on them.
The two-week exercise runs until April 8.