In April this year, the Philippines and the United States plan to conduct the largest military exercises, which outlines the demonstration of the force alliance of both countries in the context of increasing tensions in the South Chinese Sea.
According to the Philippine Armed Forces, Francesel Margaret Padilia, these annual exercises, known as Balicatan, will cover cyberspace and interaction in the Information War.
"We are planning to carry out more exercises in key areas across the country. In addition to the quantitative approach, we focus on the quality of exercises," she added.
Last year, the Philippines and the United States conducted their largest military exercises over the last three decades, attracting 17,600 military from both countries. During the exercises, combat training took place in the water area of the South Chinese Sea, a region where Beijing expresses significant territorial claims.
It is noted that the decision to expand the exercises is made in the context of strengthening the interaction between the US and the Philippines in the safety in the background of prolonged tension in disputed waters.
At the same time, the Navy Philippines recorded about 200 ships of the China's naval police in the South China Sea. The Philippines Coast Guard has placed two of its vessels in the region to monitor the increase in the number of ships of naval police police in China in one of the reefs in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (SEZ).
