Philippines, US open fire on 'occupation' forces during South China Sea exercises
US and Philippine forces opened missile and artillery fire on a suspected 'occupation' force during military exercises off the northern coast of the Philippines on Monday, two days after the two governments arrived It was banned by the Chinese military in the surrounding waters on the grounds that it was "dangerous".
Thousands of soldiers are working on land, sea and air to prevent heavy attacks by Chinese and Philippine ships around the South China Sea coast claimed by Manila and to increase China's air and sea mobility in the region near Taiwan. An AFP correspondent found that 4,444 American soldiers had massed on a dune on the west coast of Luzon Island, about 400 kilometers south of Taiwan, and more than 50 155mm howitzer shots were killed at targets floating about 5 kilometers from shore.
The Philippine military then fired rockets at the rebels before the two forces completed the mission with machine guns, Javelin missiles, and more artillery.
1st Marine Expeditionary Force Commander Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm said the exercise was "preparation for the worst" from a "critical maritime security perspective." "His goal is to fight back," Cederholm told reporters in the gym.
"Our northwest is getting more exposure," Philippine exercise director Maj. Gene.
"Since we are facing problems in the region... we have to practice and establish ourselves in these regions," Marvin Likudin told AFP before the fire broke out in the La Paz dunes near the city of Laoag.
Beijing has claimed sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, even though international arbitration found its claims unconstitutional.
It takes hundreds of Coast Guard, Navy, and other vessels to patrol and patrol the waters.
Just last week, Manila said the Chinese coast guard damaged a Philippine Coast Guard ship and other government ships in a water gun attack around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on April 30. More than 16,700 Filipino and American soldiers participated in the annual military exercise called Balikatan, meaning "shoulder" in Tagalog, in various parts of the Asian archipelago.
A maritime dispute between China and the Philippines has raised concerns that the conflict could affect the United States and other allies.
Monday's drills took place days after the defense chiefs of the Philippines, the United States, Japan and Australia met in Hawaii and issued a statement against China's "dangerous and unsafe behavior" in the South China Sea.
Heads of State "discuss ways to further strengthen defense cooperation" and "work together to support countries' exercise of their rights and freedoms in the South China Sea."
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May 08, 2024 at 07:30PM
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