Thousands of US and Filipino troops on Friday began large-scale joint military exercises in the Philippines amid tensions in the region over the Korean Peninsula and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The United States deployed 4,000 troops, 32 aircraft, including 12F-18 fighter jets, and one ship to the nine-day Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises, while the Philippines dedicated 10 aircraft, two vessels and 4,000 forces for the training. Philippine and US authorities said the Balikatan reinforces the long-standing defence cooperation between Manila and Washington, which was formalized with a mutual defence treaty in 1951.
