US and Filipino Troops Conduct Military Drills Amid South China Sea Tensions; China Objected Days Prior
US and Filipino troops conducted military exercises involving missile and artillery fire off the coast of the Philippines on May 6, 2024.
The drills came after objections from both countries to China's actions in regional waters, specifically around the South China Sea and near Taiwan.
Thousands of troops were participating in land, sea, and air maneuvers.
US troops fired over 50 live 155mm howitzer rounds at floating targets in the sea, which were about five kilometers off the coast.
The exercises were a response to increased tensions between Chinese and Filipino vessels and heightened Chinese air and naval activity in the region.
Filipino and US troops conducted a military exercise in the Philippines, involving the use of rockets, machine guns, Javelin missiles, and artillery rounds to repel a simulated invasion.
The exercise, led by US First Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, aimed to secure key maritime terrain and prepare for potential invasions.
Filipino Major General Marvin Licudine mentioned their northwestern side being more exposed due to regional issues and the need to practice defending their own land in the area.
The South China Sea is a source of tension, with China claiming almost the entire sea despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
The South China Sea is experiencing heightened tensions as China deploys hundreds of vessels for patrol and militarization.
Last week, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that Chinese coast guard ships damaged two Philippine vessels in water cannon attacks near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
These incidents occurred during the annual Balikatan military drills involving 16,700 Filipino and American troops.
The defense ministers of the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia recently met in Hawaii and issued a joint statement condemning China's actions in the South China Sea, which have raised concerns of a wider conflict involving the US and its allies.
Ministers discussed strengthening defense cooperation and supporting the rights of states in the South China Sea.
Last week, US forces conducted a rehearsal for deploying HIMARS precision rockets from Palawan, Philippines, into the South China Sea as a show of protection for Philippine maritime interests.
Tensions have increased between the Philippines and China, and between China and Taiwan, which is set to inaugurate a new president viewed as a separatist by Beijing.
Taiwan's defense ministry reported the detection of 26 Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels around Taiwan in the past 24 hours.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo stated that military exercises serve as a deterrent, but added, "The more we simulate, the less we actuate."
Thousands of troops were participating in land, sea, and air maneuvers.
US troops fired over 50 live 155mm howitzer rounds at floating targets in the sea, which were about five kilometers off the coast.
The exercises were a response to increased tensions between Chinese and Filipino vessels and heightened Chinese air and naval activity in the region.
Filipino and US troops conducted a military exercise in the Philippines, involving the use of rockets, machine guns, Javelin missiles, and artillery rounds to repel a simulated invasion.
The exercise, led by US First Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, aimed to secure key maritime terrain and prepare for potential invasions.
Filipino Major General Marvin Licudine mentioned their northwestern side being more exposed due to regional issues and the need to practice defending their own land in the area.
The South China Sea is a source of tension, with China claiming almost the entire sea despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
The South China Sea is experiencing heightened tensions as China deploys hundreds of vessels for patrol and militarization.
Last week, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that Chinese coast guard ships damaged two Philippine vessels in water cannon attacks near the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
These incidents occurred during the annual Balikatan military drills involving 16,700 Filipino and American troops.
The defense ministers of the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and Australia recently met in Hawaii and issued a joint statement condemning China's actions in the South China Sea, which have raised concerns of a wider conflict involving the US and its allies.
Ministers discussed strengthening defense cooperation and supporting the rights of states in the South China Sea.
Last week, US forces conducted a rehearsal for deploying HIMARS precision rockets from Palawan, Philippines, into the South China Sea as a show of protection for Philippine maritime interests.
Tensions have increased between the Philippines and China, and between China and Taiwan, which is set to inaugurate a new president viewed as a separatist by Beijing.
Taiwan's defense ministry reported the detection of 26 Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels around Taiwan in the past 24 hours.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo stated that military exercises serve as a deterrent, but added, "The more we simulate, the less we actuate."
Translation:
Translated by AI
