The U.S. military and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kicked off on April 20 one of their largest combat drills to strengthen collective defense in Asia as the region faces increased aggression from the Chinese regime.
The AFP said in a post on X that the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in the Philippine native language Tagalog, is the “most expansive engagement in the exercise’s history.”
The annual drill involves mock battles and live-fire exercises in locations facing the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and will involve more than 17,000 U.S. and Filipino military personnel….
US, Philippines Conduct Large-Scale Drills Amid Increasing Chinese Aggression
