The two nations are seeking to push back against Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. The largest version of their flagship military exercises in decades began on Tuesday, a day after Beijing had concluded its own drills around Taiwan.
The United States and the Philippines kicked off the largest version of their flagship military exercise in more than 30 years on Tuesday, a high-profile display of their renewed alliance that comes just a day after mainland China concluded its own drills around Taiwan . The annual Balikatan exercises will focus on developing maritime security and amphibious operations and will include live-fire training at a time the two nations are seeking to push back against Chinese aggression in the South China Sea . The presence of more than 17,600 military personnel almost doubles last year’s level, according to the US embassy in Manila. The size of the drills marks the culmination of US efforts to restore ties with the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr , whose predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte , often snubbed Washington in favour of Beijing. As the exercises get under way, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin will meet their Philippine counterparts in Washington on Tuesday, seeking to strengthen collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region. The joint exercises come the same week Beijing held multiple drills near Taiwan after the island’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, returned from a visit to the US, where she met House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other US lawmakers.
