Largest joint military drills

Strong sentiments: Activists burning a US flag as they take part in a protest against the Balikatan military exercise, outside Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Manila. — AFP

The Philippines and the United States have launched their largest-ever joint military exercises.

Nearly 18,000 troops are taking part in the annual exercises dubbed Balikatan, or “shoulder to shoulder” in Filipino, which for the first time will include a live-fire drill in the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.