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PH-US war games begin amid reports of Chinese missiles

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Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">LOOK: Marine troopers of US and Philippines now in Zambales for Balikatan Exercise 34-2018. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/Jorge_Carino?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jorge_Carino</a> <a href="https://t.co/lnBvFOMhbA">pic.twitter.com/lnBvFOMhbA</a>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/994072588732305408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES - Filipino and American Marines began on Wednesday a two-week training at the shores fronting the West Philippine Sea as part of the 34th annual Balikatan Exercise.Troops from the allied countries arrived in full battle gear for an amphibious assault training in this town, almost 180 kilometers away from the Scarborough Shoal.The annual war games pushed through amid reports that China has installed missiles in waters declared by an arbitral tribunal ruling as part of the country&#x27;s Exclusive Economic Zone. But Marine Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Salamat, Balikatan Exercise director, clarified that the training has nothing to do with recent Chinese activities. &quot;Our focus is military to military operation. We focus on the training objectives, and completing the task that they are required to complete for each training module,&quot; said Salamat, who commands troops in Northern Luzon. The military official explained that the shore where US and Philippine troops are training is the same spot that they have been using before for amphibious assault training.&quot;This can happen anywhere in the Philippines especially in Mindanao. We have a lot of areas, we are an island nation. That’s why we need to improve our capabilities on amphibious operation, because we have more island than land mass,&quot; he added.Salamat said the Philippine Marines was also set to acquire Armored Assault Vehicles (AAV) which are similar to the units used by the US Marines in this activity. Major General Alvin Parreno, Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said the Armed Forces already ordered 8 units and are set for delivery April next year. &quot;Initially ang deployment natin is in Mindanao and other places which kung saan ituro ng necessity ng Armed Forces of the Philippines,&quot; said Gen. Parreno. The Balikatan Exercise is part of the annual activity since the ratification of RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the US. The military previously announced that activities for this year’s Balikatan will focus on inter-operability of troops, as well as training for counter-terrorism measures. Filipino and American troops are also set to go to the Crow Valley in Tarlac province for a live fire exercise. An estimated 3,000 US troopers will work with 5,000 Filipino soldiers in the next days. Australia, which has a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines also sent a 60-man contingent for the training, while the Japan Defense Force will also join as an observer.

SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES - Filipino and American Marines began on Wednesday a two-week training at the shores fronting the West Philippine Sea as part of the 34th annual Balikatan Exercise.

SAN ANTONIO, ZAMBALES - Filipino and American Marines began on Wednesday a two-week training at the shores fronting the West Philippine Sea as part of the 34th annual Balikatan Exercise.

PH-US war games begin amid reports of Chinese missiles

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PH-US war games begin amid reports of Chinese missiles

Jorge Cariño,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 09, 2018 06:00 PM PHT

Read More:

Military

Armed Forces

Marines

Balikatan Exercise

Zambales

US

Philippines

China

West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

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