PHILIPPINE and U.S. soldiers began their biggest combined military exercise in 15 years on Monday (April 20), in a demonstration of Washington’s commitment to its long-time ally as it rebalances to Asia in the face of China’s expansion in the South China Sea.
The annual “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder) war games are part of a new U.S. military initiative known as Pacific Pathways, involving a series of drills across the Asia-Pacific as America deploys more troops, ships and aircraft in the region.
“With the aim to foster stronger cooperation and defense diplomacy to promote common security interest for our respective countries and for regional stability as well,” said Philippine Armed forces Chief of Staff Gregorio Catapang.
Pacific Pathways, which Washington says is part of a plan to establish a “semi-permanent” U.S. presence in Asia, will comprise 29 exercises across 12 countries in the region over the next five years.
The exercise comes a few days after the Philippines said it was seeking more “substantive” support from the United States on how to counter China’s rapid expansion in the South China Sea.
China’s rapid reclamation around seven reefs in the Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea has alarmed claimants, including the Philippines and Vietnam, and drawn growing criticism from U.S. government officials and the military.
U.S. President Barack Obama has said Washington is concerned China is using its “sheer size and muscle” to push around smaller nations in the disputed sea, drawing a swift rebuke fromBeijing.
“We make no pretense that we are helping the Philippines as it builds a minimum credible defense and protect its maritime security, and to be clear, the U.S. is committed to its alliances and in the case of the Philippines, our oldest in the region, that commitment is, as President Obama has said, ‘ironclad’,” said U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg.
More than 11,000 American and Filipino troops are taking part in the 10-day drill on the islands ofLuzon, Palawan and Panay. The war games will see U.S. fighters rehearse bombing runs and troops involved in live fire drills.
Earlier on Monday, dozens of left-wing activists protested near the U.S. embassy in Manila, saying the Americans were using China as a bogeyman to gain a forward base in the Philippines. (Reuters)
