Thousands of US and Filipino soldiers are participating in exercises in the northern and western regions of the Southeast Asian archipelago.

The Balikatan 2024 exercises began on April 22 and are scheduled to last until May 10, including scenarios simulating island seizure in the province of Palawan in western Philippines. Similar activities will take place in the northern province of Cagayan and Batanes, located less than 300 km from Taiwan.

The exercise forces will practice sinking ships off the coast of northern Philippines as they did last year. Additionally, the parties will conduct exercises related to information warfare, maritime security, air defense, and integrated missile defense.

About 11,000 US troops, 5,000 Filipino troops, along with some French and Australian soldiers, are participating in the Balikatan 2024 exercises, with 14 Asian and European countries observing the event. Furthermore, the French navy is deploying a warship for the event.

According to Philippine Major General Michael Logico, this is the first time the Balikatan exercises have extended beyond the territorial waters of the country. The US forces have brought Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) missiles to the Philippines as part of Balikatan 2024, but this type of weapon will not be used in actual operations.

“Balikatan is not just an exercise but tangible evidence of our shared commitment,” said Lieutenant General William Jurney, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command. “This activity is important for peace and stability in the region.”

The United States and the Philippines have strengthened defense cooperation since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in 2022. In April 2023, the Philippines announced allowing US military access to four new bases in the country, in addition to the five bases licensed since 2014.