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Philippines, US launch drills near Taiwan, test readiness under real-world conditions

From Jerusalem Post · (just now) English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Philippines and the US have launched their largest-ever joint military exercises, "Balikatan," involving several new international partners.
  • The drills, held near Taiwan, will test readiness under real-world conditions, including maritime strike and integrated air and missile defense.
  • China has criticized the exercises, warning against external forces creating division and confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Philippines, alongside its long-standing ally the United States, has commenced the "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) joint military exercises, marking the largest iteration to date. This year's drills, running from April 20 to May 8, are particularly significant due to the expanded participation, including Australia and first-time active involvement from Canada, France, New Zealand, and Japan. This widening network of security partnerships underscores Manila's strategic pivot towards strengthening regional alliances.

Philippine Armed Forces Chief Romeo Brawner emphasized that the exercises are designed to test readiness under "real-world conditions" across all domains, reaffirming the alliance's strength and commitment to regional security. The drills will feature a comprehensive range of operations, including maritime strike, interdiction, integrated air and missile defense, and counter-landing live-fire exercises. Notably, the exercises will showcase newly acquired Philippine military hardware, such as BrahMos missiles, alongside allied capabilities, highlighting the growing modernization and interoperability of forces in the region.

We train across the breadth of our archipelago ... testing our readiness in real-world conditions across all domains.

— Romeo BrawnerPhilippine armed forces chief launching the Balikatan exercises, emphasizing their focus on real-world readiness.

The strategic location of these drills, particularly those conducted on the northernmost island of Itbayat, just 155 km from Taiwan, sends a clear signal amidst simmering tensions over the island. While the Philippines and the US frame these exercises as routine readiness tests and alliance affirmations, China has voiced strong opposition. Beijing views these maneuvers as provocative, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun warning that such security alignments risk raising regional tensions and that the Asia-Pacific needs peace, not external forces fostering division. From Manila's perspective, as reported by Reuters, these exercises are crucial for demonstrating a united front and enhancing defensive capabilities in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

We would like to remind the relevant countries that persisting in tying themselves together on security will only lead to setting themselv

— Guo JiakunChina's foreign ministry spokesperson commenting on the drills, warning against security alliances that create confrontation.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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