On Wednesday, the militaries of the United States and the Philippines began their second naval exercises in the South China Sea, in light of continuing tensions with China in the disputed waters.
Bloomberg News reported that the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement, “The bilateral exercises, which will last for two days, will include training, communications screening, ship-deck exercises, and joint patrols.”
These are the second maneuvers to be conducted in less than two months, after the two countries began joint patrols late last November in the South China Sea. Army Commander General Romeo Brawner said, “This second cooperative naval activity represents a major leap in our alliance and compatibility with the United States.” He added, “The maneuvers also show our progress in terms of defense capabilities and development as high-level armed forces, while we protect the people and the state.”
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