US and Philippines hold largest war drills near disputed waters after Chinese exercises

For the first time in decades, the United States and the Philippines on Tuesday launched their largest combat exercises including live-fire drills in waters across the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, that will probably inflame China.

The annual drills with longtime treaty allies called 'Balikatan' will run up to April 28 and will involve over 17,500 military personnel. According to US and Philippine officials, American warships, fighter jets, Patriot missiles, HIMARS rocket launchers andanti-tank Javelins will also be showcased. They added that some 12,200 US military personnel, 5,400 Filipino forces and 111 Australian counterparts will also be taking part, Associated Press reported.

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This initiativeby President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is to defend the Philippines' territorial interests in the South China Sea by boosting military ties with the US and allowing batches of American forces to stay in more Philippine military camps under the 2014 defence pact.

A Philippine spokesman for Balikatan, Col. Michael Logico said, "We are not provoking anybody by simply exercising." "This is actually a form of deterrence. Deterrence is when we are discouraging other parties from invading us."

Logico giving details on the live drill said that allied forces would stage an offshore for the first time, with both US and Filipino forces tosink a 200-foot (61 metres) target vessel in Philippine territorial waters off the western province of Zambales this month, in a coordinated airstrike and artillery bombardment.

Denying targeting any country,Philippine military officials said the manoeuvre was aimed at boostingthe country’s coastal defence.

The US Embassy in Manila said that such field scenarios will "test the allies’ capabilities in combined arms live-fire, information and intelligence sharing, communications between manoeuvreunits, logistics operations and amphibious operations."

USMarine Maj. Gen. Eric Austin said, "The relationships that we have, that we build into these exercises, will make us faster to respond to conflict, crisis, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief."

Logico claimed that with help of these drillexercises, they will retakean islandin the western Palawan province, captured by enemy forces.

The Balikatan drills come afterChina last week conducted a three-day combat drill following Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

China has been repeatedly warning the US about intensifying its military deployment to the region. Chinese Foreign Minister Mao Ning in a news briefing said that such actions will only lead to more tension and less peace and stability in the region.

Recently after China announced the completion of its military drills, Taiwan’s defence ministry claimed it detected nine Chinese warships and 26 aircraft around the self-governing island.

(with inputs from agencies)

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