Philippines, U.S. kick off largest
Release time:2024-05-09 07:51:37
MANILA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 16,700 Philippine and U.S. troops started their largest-ever 。
MANILA, April 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 16,700 Philippine and U.S. troops started their largest-ever annual joint military drills on Monday amid criticisms that the drills threaten regional peace and stability. According to the Philippine military, the 19-day exercises, dubbed "Balikatan 2024," will involve around 5,000 Philippine and 11,000 U.S. troops, making it the largest iteration of the Philippines-U.S. joint drills conducted in decades. Contingents from the Australian Defense Force and, for the first time in Balikatan's history, the French Navy will also join the exercise as participants. A total of 14 nations, including Japan and India, will take part in the annual military drills as observers. Balikatan 2024 will be held from April 22 to May 10. Participants will execute a range of complex missions across domains, including maritime security, air and missile defense, dynamic missile strikes, cyber defense, and information operations. This year's maritime drill will for the first time go beyond the Philippines' 12-nautical-mile territorial waters. Also on Monday, protesters gathered to Camp Aguinaldo, the site of the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, where the opening ceremony of the Balikatan 2024 is held, to voice their opposition. They carried placards and banners decrying the military exercises, urging the Philippine government to trash the military agreements with the United States. Many Philippine experts and scholars also expressed their concerns that the joint drills might threaten regional security. Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, told Xinhua that the involvement of more countries in such military drills "may lead to new or strengthened political and military alliances in the region, which could increase our competition and create division and more tension among regional countries." "Our people do not want war with any country for any reason whatsoever, least of all one with our biggest neighbor and trading partner with whom we do not have any serious problems we cannot solve," wrote Former Senator Francisco Tatad in a recent opinion piece, who is also a columnist for the Manila Times. Balikatan, a Tagalog phrase for "shoulder-to-shoulder," is the most comprehensive among several regular Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises. The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) gives U.S. troops a legal basis to be in the Southeast Asian country for bilateral exercises, and governs the conduct of U.S. armed force personnel.
(Editor:Wang Su)
Related articles
- Eva Mendes looked incredible in gold as she shared a sizzling BTS video from a magazine shoot.The ac2024-05-09
How YOU can lower your council tax by challenging it
Hundreds of thousands of households may be able to cut their council tax bill by requesting their pr2024-05-09The body types that raise the risk of colon cancer
Your body shape could be putting you at extra risk of one of the fastest growing cancers in young pe2024-05-09Judge to probe corruption accusation against wife of Spain's leader filed by right
MADRID (AP) — A Spanish judge agreed Wednesday to probe allegations of corruption made against the w2024-05-09Chinese leader Xi Jinping set to meet Serbian officials on the second leg of his Europe tour
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to meet Wednesday with Serbian officials an2024-05-09USDA updates rules for school meals that limit added sugars for the first time
The nation’s school meals will get a makeover under new nutrition standards that limit added sugars2024-05-09
atest comment