Philippine "Balikatan" spokesperson Major Frank Sayson said the Cebu-based Central Command (CentCom) and the Northern Luzon Command (NolCom) will participate in the exercises.
US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim and US Marines Lieutenant General Lawrence Nicholson were at the opening ceremony of Balikatan 2017 on Monday, May 8, and spoke of the need to continue training together.
Troops from Australia and Japan will participate in the annual joint exercises between USA and Philippine militaries that will officially kick off on Monday, a Philippine military spokesman said on Sunday.
After coming to power in June a year ago, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, angered by USA criticism of his bloody anti-drugs campaign, announced that the 2017 exercises would be the last.
The two countries hold three military drills each year, with Balikatan the largest.
USA committed to strengthening ties with Asean: Tillerson
Reports said all ASEAN members have diplomatic relations with North Korea and five have embassies there. Murphy said the USA remains committed to freedom of navigation and commerce in the South China Sea.
The changes were instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte who has said he wants to chart a foreign policy less oriented toward Washington while expanding security ties with China and Russian Federation.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters that Balikatan 2017 will focus on humanitarian and disaster response (HADR) and honing counterterrorism skills.
The Balikatan (Shoulder to Shoulder in English) exercises started in 2002, with the objective of launching a global campaign against terrorism after the infamous September 11, 2001 terror attack on New York's twin towers. "We recognize the need to work together to overcome the daunting challenges posed by global terror networks; we also understand that bilateral disaster response training can help save lives and help rebuild devastated communities", the ambassador said.
Soldiers from Japan and Australia are also taking part in the exercise, he said. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.
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