Thousands of Philippine and U.S. troops are to begin joint military exercises in the Philippines on Monday as Beijing’s increasingly assertive stance in the region raises fears of conflict.
The annual drills, known as “Balikatan,” which means “shoulder to shoulder” in Tagalog, will focus on the archipelago nation’s northern and western regions, near potential flashpoints in the South China Sea and Taiwan.
China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire waterway, a key route for international trade, and considers self-governing Taiwan to be part of its territory.
In response to China’s growing influence, the United States has been strengthening alliances with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including the Philippines.
Washington and Manila are treaty allies and have deepened defense cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022.
Although the Philippines is weakly armed, its location near the South China Sea and Taiwan makes it an important partner for the United States in a conflict with China.
“The purpose of the armed forces, the reason we exist, is really to prepare for war,” Philippine Col. Michael Logic told reporters before the exercise. “There’s no sugarcoating it… If we don’t prepare, then It’s harmful to the country.”
The Philippine Coast Guard will join the “shoulder-to-shoulder” group for the first time, following several confrontations between Philippine coast guard vessels and Chinese coast guard patrols on coral reefs off the Philippines’ coast.
The joint exercise involves a simulated armed retake of an island in Palawan province, the closest major Philippine landmass to the hotly contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
The same drills will be held in the northern provinces of Cagayan and Bataan, both less than 300 kilometers (180 miles) from Taiwan.
Like last year, a ship will sink near Ilocos Norte.
Other training will cover information warfare, maritime security and integrated air and missile defense.
The United States has deployed Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) guided missiles to the Philippines for the “Stand by Side” event, but Logic said the weapons will not be used in the exercise.
China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of “inciting military confrontation” and warned the Philippines “not to go down the wrong path again.”
“This is important for regional stability”
The exercise, which will last until May 10, involves approximately 11,000 U.S. and 5,000 Filipino soldiers, as well as Australian and French military personnel.
France will also deploy a warship to take part in joint exercises with Philippine and US vessels.
Fourteen countries from Asia and Europe will join as observers.
Logico said the drills would for the first time go beyond Philippine territorial waters, which are about 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) from its coastline.
“Exercise Balikatan is more than just an exercise; it is a tangible demonstration of our shared commitment to each other,” Lt. Gen. William Juni, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, said in a statement.
“This is important for regional peace,” he said. “This is important for regional stability.”
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