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.

The drills yesterday followed Monday’s conclusion of a three-day Chinese military exercise that simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.

Balikatan will include military helicopters landing on a Philippine island off the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, nearly 300km from Taiwan, and the retaking of another island by amphibious forces.

It will be the first time the exercises have been held under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who has sought to strengthen ties with the United States after his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte trashed the alliance.

“In order for us to protect our sovereign territory, we really have to drill and exercise how we are going to retake an island that’s been taken away from us,” Philippine exercises spokesman Colonel Michael Logico told reporters after the opening ceremony at a military camp in Manila.

Manila and Washington have agreed to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea and struck a deal to expand the US forces’ footprint in the Philippines.

US troops will be allowed to use an additional four Philippine military bases under the pact, including a naval base not far from Taiwan.

News of the expanded base access had prompted China to accuse the United States of “endangering regional peace and stability”.

“Countries in this part of the world must uphold strategic independence and firmly resist the Cold-War mentality and bloc confrontation,” China’s ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, said last week.

About 12,200 American, 5,400 Filipino and over 100 Australian soldiers will participate in the two weeks of Balikatan exercises – about twice as many as last year.

About 50 left-wing protesters staged a rally outside the opening ceremony venue, calling on the Philippine government to scrap the exercises.

As part of the exercises, troops will stage an amphibious landing on the western island of Palawan, the closest Philippine landmass to the Spratly Islands, where Beijing and Manila have rival claims. — AFP