A protester shouts anti-U.S. slogans during a protest rally at the gates of Camp Aguinaldo, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters, where the opening ceremony of the Balikatan 2014 U.S-Philippine military joint exercise is being held in Quezon city, metro Manila May 5, 2014. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco
MANILA (Reuters) - Thousands of Philippine and U.S. soldiers began annual war games on Monday, the first under a new security pact with the United States, focusing on maritime security in the face of China's growing naval presence in the disputed South China Sea.
The joint exercises "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) would test the combat readiness of the two oldest allies in this part of the world to respond to any maritime threats, including piracy and humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
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