US, Philippines Launch Large-Scale Military Drills Amid China Tensions

The United States and the Philippines commenced their annual Balikatan military exercises on Monday, designed to bolster the Philippines’ defense capabilities amidst escalating tensions with China in the South China Sea, Bloomberg reports.

This year’s drills, often dubbed the “Super Bowl” of military exercises in the region, also underscore the US’s commitment to its long-standing ally under the Trump administration.

Approximately 14,000 troops are participating in the exercises, including 9,000 from the US The drills will be conducted in western and northern Philippine locations facing the South China Sea and Taiwan, both considered potential regional flashpoints. Australia and Japan, key defense partners of the allies, are also expected to participate, while over a dozen other nations have been invited as observers. The exercises are scheduled to run through May 9.

Philippine Brigadier General Michael Logico, the director for the exercises, stated that Manila is “treating the exercise as a rehearsal for our defense.”

The exercises take place against a backdrop of heightened tensions, with China claiming nearly the entire South China Sea, a claim rejected by Manila. Beijing also views self-governing Taiwan as a renegade province and has recently conducted military drills around the island.

During his visit to Manila last month, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of the NMESIS anti-ship missile system for this year’s drills. The exercises will also feature air and missile defense training, a new element in this year’s war games.

Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund of the US, emphasized the continuity of U.S. policy regarding China. “The planned exercise builds on previous drills, signaling continuity with the first Trump administration and the Biden administration, both of which defined China as the greatest threat to the United States,” she said.

The drills are also taking place amidst intensifying trade tensions between the US and China. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro recently stated that Manila expects a sustained $500 million in annual defense funding from Washington through 2029 to strengthen its military and deter China’s “aggression” in the region.