Philippines, U.S. kick off largest
Release time：2024-04-24 12:43:40 Source：Planet Pulse news portal
-
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）
- Previous：Royal Navy names latest 7,400
- Next：Red Sox 1B Triston Casas out indefinitely with broken rib suffered on hard swing at plate
Related articles
- 'Boy in the attic's' mom's harrowing final words before she died of a broken heart are revealed
- The Dallas Stars can still score. They are now deeper and more balanced going into the NHL playoffs
- Another record for New Jersey internet gambling revenue as in
- Mets rally in 7th and score the go
- Luxury £1m homes are destroying our coastline
- Justin Trudeau's government raises taxes on wealthiest Canadians in federal budget
- Emma Roberts makes a splash in sexy blue swimsuit and cowboy boots
- Salma Hayek, 57, puts on a busty display as she shows off her chest and tiny waistline in a blue
- Johnny Cueto signs minor league deal with Texas. He was an All
- Paris Hilton, 43, shows off her toned figure in a leopard
- No Giannis? No Leonard? No problem just yet for the Bucks and Clippers in the postseason
- Kiefer Sutherland reunites with Stand By Me co
- A former youth detention center resident testifies about 'hit squad' attack
- Selma Blair looks chic in cropped knit sweater and low
- Catherine Zeta
- EU, G7 leaders urge preventing escalation in Mideast
- Selma Blair looks chic in cropped knit sweater and low
- 'The million
- New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier has post
- Travel boom sees 740 mln trips made in 3
Random recommendation
China Releases White Paper on Belt and Road CooperationMiao Girl Embraces New Life Thanks to Poverty Alleviation EffortsChina Issues Commemorative Stamps, Envelopes Featuring BRI10th National Constitution Day Marked in ChinaChina Overall 5Traditional Ethnic Culture Emphasized on Campus in S China's GuangxiPopulation Survey to Monitor DevelopmentHousing Project Improves Grassland Life at Winter Pastures in XizangArchaeology Forum Held in Shanghai, Highlighting Climate Change, Social SustainabilityUS Senate passes funding package after missing deadline to avert partial gov't shutdown
- Copyright © 2024 Powered by Philippines, U.S. kick off largest ,Planet Pulse news portal sitemap