Philippines calls joint US drills 'defense rehearsal' as China tensions simmer

By Karen Lema

MANILA (Reuters) - The United States is deploying around 9,000 troops to the Philippines for this year's joint military exercises, as the allies strengthen ties amid tensions with China over its activities in the South China Sea and in Taiwan.

The annual drills, which the Philippine military on Tuesday described as a rehearsal for national defense, will include 5,000 Filipino troops, 200 from the Australia Defence Force, and observers from the Japan Self-Defence Force.

For the first time, observers from countries like Poland and the Czech Republic will also participate.

While this year's troop count is lower than 2023's 17,600, it will be more purposeful, Brigadier General Michael Logico, spokesperson for the event, told a press conference.

The annual "Balikatan," or "shoulder-to-shoulder" drills reflect deepening defense ties between the two allies, as tensions simmer in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, where China recently held large-scale military exercises.

The South China Sea remains a source of tension between China and Southeast Asian nations, with ties between Beijing and Manila at their worst in years amid frequent confrontations that have sparked concerns of a military conflict.

The military exercise verges on "a full battle test, which means we are now treating the exercise as a rehearsal for our defence," Logico said.

The drills will emphasise interoperability across domains, including maritime and air defence, and stretch from Palawan to the northern Luzon islands - areas facing the South China Sea and Taiwan.

The locations were not random, said Logico, adding that "the exercises by themselves can also help in resisting influence operations from other nations."

During a visit last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment under the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty.

Hegseth pledged to deploy advanced capabilities for the drills to the Philippines, including the NMESIS anti-ship missile system, to help deter threats including Chinese "aggression." Logico said NMESIS was already in the country.

Last year's exercises saw the debut of the U.S. Army's Mid-Range Capability system, also known as the Typhon missile system, capable of launching Tomahawks that can reach China and Russia, drawing criticism from China.

"Every country, big or small, has the absolute and inalienable right to defend itself...and train for that defence and with our partners, our treaty allies," Logico said.

The drills will run from April 21 to May 9.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Bernadette Baum)