After the People’s Liberation Army’s Taiwan encirclement exercise, the US-Philippines joint military exercise debuts_1

Following China’s large-scale military exercises around Taiwan, the United States and the Philippines have launched their own joint military drills. This year’s annual “Kamandag” (meaning “Warrior” in Filipino) exercises are particularly focused on defending the northern shores of Luzon, approximately 500 miles from Taiwan. This comes in response to a record-breaking 153 Chinese military aircraft detected around Taiwan over a 25-hour period, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense.

The joint exercises, which commenced on the 15th, involve thousands of troops from the US and the Philippines, as well as participation from Australia, the UK, Japan, and South Korea, albeit in smaller numbers. Major General Pat Ryder, a spokesperson for the US Defense Department, criticized China’s “Joint Sword” military operations as irresponsible and a destabilizing response to perceived threats.

Prior to these joint drills, a collision occurred between Chinese coast guard vessels and a Philippine supply ship, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, where China asserts full sovereignty. Philippine Task Force Commander Arturo G. Rojas emphasized during the opening ceremony of the drills in Manila that these exercises had been planned well in advance and were not connected to any specific incidents in the Asia Pacific region.

The Kamandag exercises will focus on live-fire exercises along the northern coast of Luzon and will also incorporate training scenarios on various smaller Philippine islands situated between Luzon and Taiwan. Brigadier General Vicente Blanco, the exercise director, reiterated that the drills are based on coastal defense theories and should not be interpreted as rehearsals for involvement in the Taiwan conflict.

Colonel Stuart Glenn, representing the US Marine Corps, noted that the aim of the Kamandag exercises is to prepare the US and its allies for any crisis or emergency situation, with part of the training taking place in Palawan, facing the South China Sea.

On a related note, the Philippine government reported that its patrol vessel, BRP Datu Cabaylo, suffered minor damage on the 11th due to a deliberate collision with a Chinese coast guard ship.