Philippines and U.S. kick off joint military drills

 Philippines and U.S. kick off joint military drills
 

The Philippines and the U.S. commence the 39th iteration of their annual military exercises, with plans to simulate the sinking of an enemy warship and retaking territory from hostile forces. The Balikatan exercises, loosely translated from Filipino as "shoulder to shoulder," is geared toward bolstering joint operations by American and Filipino forces as an estimated 16,700 personnel from both sides participate.

The annual exercises, named Balikatan, which means "shoulder to shoulder" in Filipino, began in 1991 and are part of a broader commitment between the Philippines and the U.S. to boost defense cooperation in the face of countering China's expanding influence and aggression within the region.