Philippines, U.S. kick off largest
Release time：2024-05-22 09:45:28 Source：Culture Chronicles 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：Andretti Global makes key engineering hire in bid to earn a spot in Formula 1
- Next：Bell's RBI single in 10th lifts Marlins to 3
Related articles
- Devers sets Red Sox record by homering in his 6th consecutive game
- French media: Police summon actor Gérard Depardieu for questioning about sexual assault allegations
- China: Political settlement only viable way out of Ukraine crisis
- Inside seven of Britain's best secret beaches
- Seoul AI summit opens with companies including Google, Meta, OpenAI pledging to develop AI safely
- Ashley Graham puts on a busty display and shows off her curves in a plunging bathing suit in Cannes
- China, Cambodia to move forward in building high
- China ready to take 'China
- Clark signs deal with Wilson Sporting Goods for signature line
- Plane crashes into river in Alaska
- Mariachis. A flame
- Data security in focus for safe AI use
- Stocking up on the pick and Little Mix? Jesy Nelson, 32, turns heads in a smiley
- Experts challenge 'capacity' claims
- Fake elector case: Former Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward and others set to be arraigned
- Ryan Giggs' pregnant girlfriend Zara Charles cuts a casual figure in tight
- Bayer Leverkusen's late escapes are keeping Xabi Alonso's team unbeaten this season
- China ready to take 'China
- Vikings seek new deal with Justin Jefferson; star WR absent so far from workouts, AP source says
- China's top liquor brand reports 15.59% profit surge in Q1
Random recommendation
Biden administration moves to make conservation an equal to industry on US landsAttack blamed on IS militants kills 22 proSpooks probe whether ChineseDramatic moment lorry on the M56 is engulfed by flames: HGV is destroyed by raging infernoHouse leaders toil to advance Ukraine and Israel aid. But threats to oust speaker growHurricanes overcome yellow cards to beat Fijian Drua 38Now Meghan's AEPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: How Pippa Middleton revealed Kate's secret chutney recipeTeenager is charged with terrorism offenses in stabbings of bishop and priest at Sydney churchPalestinian death toll in Gaza from Israeli attacks rises to 30,960: ministry
- Copyright © 2024 Powered by Philippines, U.S. kick off largest ,Culture Chronicles news portal sitemap