Philippines and the US plan to carry out “more complex” joint military exercises (+South China)
Photo: RT
Published at: 30/01/2024 08:44 AM
The spokeswoman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Colonel Francel Margaret Padilla, revealed that her country and the United States are planning their largest joint military exercise for next April, amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.
According to information from RT, in a briefing, Padilla revealed that the joint Filipino-American military maneuver, called Balikatan 2024, will include “more complex exercises”.
“We are going to carry out more exercises in key positions across the country,” he said, stressing that both countries will be “very focused on the quality of training.”
In addition, he indicated that this year cyberspace and information warfare will play a leading role in the maneuvers.
Recall that last year, the Philippines and the United States held their largest joint military exercise, Balikatan 2023, in which more than 17,600 soldiers from both countries participated. The maneuvers included live fire exercises in waters close to the South China Sea, where Beijing defends its presence.
It is also important to highlight that the South China Sea is a constant source of tension, as it is the subject of territorial and maritime claims by numerous actors: China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. In addition, the region is also an important international thoroughfare through which trillions of dollars in maritime traffic pass each year.
RT/MAZO WRITING