Nearly 17,000 Filipino and American military personnel on Monday began their annual joint exercise “Ballikattan”, which will be held for the first time outside the territorial waters of the Philippines, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The exercise will run from April 22 to May 10 and will involve 16,700 military personnel from the Philippine and US military. The military units of France and Australia, which have strengthened their defense ties with the Philippines because of China’s aggressive behavior in the region, will also be involved, Reuters commented.
The servicemen will practice seizing enemy-occupied islands in the northernmost part of the Philippine archipelago, near Taiwan, as well as in the western province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea.
Beijing claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion worth of goods are transported annually.
“While we remain vigilant in the face of regional challenges, the exercises are not specifically linked to the actions of any specific country,” a Philippine military spokesman said yesterday.
China has criticized the joint exercises, saying they heighten tensions and undermine regional stability.
Tags: Philippines military maneuvers Taiwan
