More than 14,000 Philippines and US soldiers began an annual military exercise on Monday that will be a “test of strength” between the two defence treaty allies in the face of regional security challenges, including tensions in the South China Sea.
The annual Balikatan exercise will last three weeks until May 9. The exercise will showcase a range of US weapons, including the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and HIMARS missile launchers.
The Philippines will test its own advanced missiles in a live-fire exercise with its US counterparts, according to a summary circulated to the media.
Lieutenant General James Glynn, the exercise director on the US side, described this year’s exercise as “full battle tests” in which the capabilities of both forces will be measured in multiple scenarios. The exercises include defence against missile threats, preventing sea incursions and sinking a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel in a sea strike test.
“The full battle tests is intended to take into consideration all of the regional security challenges that we face today, beginning in the South China Sea,” Glynn said at a media briefing.
Officials said about 9,000 US soldiers and 5,000 Philippines troops are participating in this year’s exercise. Small contingents from Australia, Japan, Britain, France and Canada are also taking part in the exercise, and 16 other countries have signed up as observers.
The exercise comes amid rising tensions in Asia over China’s actions in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, which neighbours the Philippines. Major General Francisco Lorenzo, the Philippines’ exercise leader, said the drills are not directed against any country but could serve as a deterrent against conflict.
“The Balikatan exercise may probably help deter the conflict in Taiwan. But for our concern, it is only for deterrence of any possible coercion or invasion to our country,” Lorenzo said.
South China Sea tensions
Tensions between China and the Philippines have risen over the past two years due to clashes between their coast guards in the South China Sea, over which Beijing claims sovereignty over almost all of its territory.
The US has a strategic interest in the Asia-Pacific region, and the Philippines plays an important role in this strategy. The Philippines is now a strategically important ally for the US in the Southeast Asian region also because it provides bases for military operations and control of important maritime territories. The two countries also co-operate in counter-terrorism, drug trafficking control and maritime security.
Joint military training and exercises between the US and the Philippines have a long history of military cooperation. They are conducted annually. Exercises involving the militaries of both countries are based on various scenarios: joint actions in case of natural disasters, countering terrorist threats, maritime security and military defence.
