‘Combat-ready’ force in Manila's biggest-ever military exercise

This photo taken on March 31, 2023, shows US Army soldiers standing next to their high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) launcher prior to a live fire exercise during the joint exercise between the Philippines and the US at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija. - AFP

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): The Philippines and the United States will stage their biggest-ever military exercise over the next several days starting Tuesday (April 11) and signal tighter defence cooperation, amid China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea and toward Taiwan.

Meanwhile, China is expected to conclude on Monday three days of military drills around self-ruled Taiwan, the island that Beijing views as its own territory.