Thousands of US and Filipino troops began two weeks of military exercises in the Philippines on Monday amid increasing regional tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, dpa reported. The annual Balikatan exercises would advance the ability of the two forces to operate jointly on maritime security and humanitarian and disaster response, said Philippine military chief Emmanuel Bautista. The US has deployed 3,000 troops to join 2,500 Filipino soldiers in the exercises, which will be held in military camps in the northern and western Philippines. Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said the defence agreement and the exercises were part of the Philippines' efforts to build its capacity to secure and defend its territories.
