US and Philippines Conduct Largest War Drills Near Disputed Waters

The United States and the Philippines have conducted their largest joint military exercise near disputed waters in the South China Sea. The drills, which involved thousands of troops from both countries, focused on amphibious landing operations and air defense strategies.

The week-long exercise, called Balikatan 2021, was held on the Philippine island of Palawan, which is located near the contested Spratly Islands. China has claimed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including the Spratlys, and has built military installations on several of the islands.

The joint exercise comes as tensions between China and other countries in the region have escalated in recent months, with China increasing its military presence in the South China Sea. The US has been conducting freedom of navigation operations in the area to challenge China’s territorial claims, and has been building stronger military ties with allies such as the Philippines.

“The United States and the Philippines remain committed to upholding the rules-based international order, which includes respect for freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea,” said US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava.

The Philippine military also emphasized the importance of the joint exercise in maintaining regional security. “The exercise aims to further enhance our combined interoperability, which is very important in responding to security challenges in our region,” said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Colonel Edgard Arevalo.

The Balikatan 2021 exercise was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The joint military training has been taking place annually since 1981, and has become an important element of US-Philippines defense cooperation.