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Japan Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Japan set for bigger role in Philippines after SDF's debut in key drills
A top Philippine general has said he expects the Self-Defense Forces' involvement in both bilateral and multilateral activities to grow substantially, following the SDF's limited participation in large-scale military activities that wrapped up last week. Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Michael Logico, who was involved in managing the latest iteration of the Balikatan U.S.-Philippine drills, said in an exclusive interview with The Japan Times that he expects ties to surge even further once the Japanese parliament ratifies a key visiting-forces agreement with Manila. 'As soon as we have the implementing arrangements of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), we will involve the Japanese in the concept development for upcoming exercises as early as next month," Logico said. 'We will then fully realize how much more the JSDF can contribute when it comes to future field training exercises, and probably also some of the combined and joint all-domain operations,' he added, following Friday's conclusion of this year's Balikatan drills. Those exercises saw the SDF take part as an official contributor of personnel and equipment for the first time, having only sent observers since 2012. The RAA, signed last year to facilitate larger and more complex joint military activities in each other's territories, has already been ratified by the Philippine Senate and is expected to pass Japan's parliament before the current session ends on June 15. Aimed at enhancing readiness for diverse scenarios, the Balikatan 25 drills took place amid rising tensions with Beijing, driven by its territorial dispute with Manila in the South China Sea and escalating concerns over Taiwan. As the visiting-forces pact with Manila has yet to enter force, the SDF's direct involvement in this year's Balikatan — Tagalog for 'shoulder-to-shoulder' — was mostly confined to activities involving the Mogami-class frigate Yahagi outside of Philippine territorial waters. Self-Defense Forces personnel participated as observers in amphibious operation training as part of the Balikatan exercises in the Philippines recently. | Japan Joint Staff The SDF 'took part in multilateral maritime exercises such as division tactics, well-deck and cross-deck operations as well as search-and-rescue activities' in waters west of the Northern Luzon region, alongside two U.S. Navy vessels and the Philippine Navy's Gregorio del Pilar-class patrol ship BRP Ramon Alcaraz, Logico said. But SDF personnel were also involved in tabletop drills and humanitarian assistance operations and took part as observers in field training exercises and other exchanges, added Logico, who is deputy chief of the Philippine Army's Training Command. Overall, 150 SDF personnel joined a combined force of about 14,000 U.S., Philippine and Australian troops, marking a new phase in Tokyo's rapidly expanding relations with regional partners. 'Defense cooperation and exchanges between Japan and the Philippines, both like-minded nations, are steadily advancing in a multifaceted and multilayered manner, particularly in the domain of maritime security,' Tokyo's ambassador to Manila, Kazuya Endo, said following the exercises. During a visit to Manila late last month, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to launch talks on a deal that would allow their countries' armed forces to share fuel, food and services. They also agreed on the importance of concluding talks on an intelligence-sharing pact. The Balikatan drills were not only 'the most comprehensive but also the most complex iteration in the series yet,' taking five years to plan, according to Logico. For the first time, troops conducted a "full battle test" — covering a range of scenarios to test the level of joint preparedness — in a move widely seen as focused on deterring China. 'In a full battle test, we must consider all the variables, including real-world challenges, as we deal with both the physical and the nonphysical domains to get a step closer to achieving comprehensive combat readiness,' Logico said. 'It's not just a matter of air, ground and maritime operations, but we're also delving into the information and cyber space as well as the social and political domains,' he noted. This year's maneuvers also saw a number of other firsts, including an integrated air-and-missile defense exercise, a counterlanding drill and so-called maritime key terrain security operations, which involved elements of a U.S. marine littoral regiment. U.S. Marines with the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment conduct a simulated fire-mission with the Navy-Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESS) in Basco, the Philippines, on April 26 as part of the annual Balikatan military drills. | U.S. Marine Corps The exercises also saw the first deployment and use in the Philippines of several advanced U.S. weapons. This included firing the HIMARS multiple rocket launcher from Palawan island, which sits near the disputed Spratly island chain in the South China Sea, as well as the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), a ground-based anti-ship weapon on the island of Batanes, located between the Philippines' Luzon island and Taiwan. Both were new additions, following the introduction of the U.S. Typhon missile system during drills last year. Manila has kept the advanced system in Luzon, infuriating Beijing. Another first was the use of American microwave-based directed energy weapon systems designed to counter drone swarms. Philippines Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. underscored the cooperative aspect of Balikatan, calling it 'a demonstration of enduring partnerships and collaborative resolve' that embodies 'our collective readiness to act in unison.' In recent years, the Philippines has turned not only to its treaty ally, the United States, but also to regional and extraregional players such as New Zealand, Canada and European countries for support in its maritime and territorial disputes with China. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has said that he expects these efforts to result in 'increased inter-operational activities, joint exercises and realistic training in a myriad of scenarios.' They could also prompt a growing 'rotational presence' of like-minded troops in the Philippines under the country's strategic basing plan, he added, as Manila looks to identify points to support and project forces beyond its territorial waters and into its exclusive economic zone. Against this backdrop, Logico said the SDF's maiden participation in Balikatan highlights the importance like-minded nations are placing on maintaining regional peace and stability. The development, he said, is also gradually transforming Balikatan, which was originally launched as bilateral U.S.-Philippine drills, into a 'multilateral exercise in everything but name.' U.S. soldiers stand beside a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) vehicle as they take part in a counterlanding live-fire exercise during the annual U.S.-Philippines Balikatan joint military exercises in Rizal, Palawan, the Philippines, on April 28. | AFP-JIJI Manila's outreach to more and more countries was already reflected in Balikatan 25 as military observers from a total of 19 countries — including Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic — took part. Yet some of these countries are unlikely to only send observers for long, with Logico saying that Manila is already looking at the future direct participation of Canadian and New Zealand troops in not just Balikatan but several other exercises in the Philippines following the visiting-forces pacts. In the meantime, he said, Manila will continue to encourage other like-minded nations to increase their involvement. 'This part of the region, where the Philippines sits, is of vital significance to international trade,' he said. 'And it is for that reason that maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is of regional and global importance.'
Mint
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
China, Philippines make rival claims in disputed South China Sea
China and the Philippines have staked rival claims to a spit of land in the South China Sea, moves that could further inflame tensions in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. In recent days, both Chinese and Philippine personnel have planted their national flags on Sandy Cay, a collection of sandbars close to two key military outposts controlled by Beijing and Manila. China's claims to much of the South China Sea—a thoroughfare for about a third of global maritime trade—overlap with those of some of its neighbors, including the Philippines. The dispute threatens to escalate a standoff between the two nations just as the U.S. holds its annual military exercises in the Philippines, an American treaty ally. Sandy Cay has geopolitical significance because parts of it remain above water even at high tide, entitling it to 12 nautical miles of territorial sea under international maritime law. Chinese state media said last week that Chinese coast-guard personnel landed on Sandy Cay, known as Tiexian Reef in Chinese, in mid-April, where they 'enforced maritime management and exercised sovereign jurisdiction." The reports said the coast guard had cleaned up debris, investigated reports of Philippine activity on the island and taken photos of personnel holding a Chinese flag. The permanent occupation of Sandy Cay by either the Philippines or China could have implications for both countries' claims to more important South China Sea features. Located within 12 miles of Sandy Cay is Subi Reef, an artificial island that is one of China's most important military outposts in the disputed waterway. However, it doesn't generate its own territorial sea because its original features are submerged at high tide. The Philippines, meanwhile, controls nearby Thitu Island, where it has garrisoned soldiers and expanded the runway. Jonathan Malaya, the assistant director of the Philippines National Security Council, said Monday that China hadn't seized Sandy Cay. 'We found no evidence of alleged Chinese occupation," he told local broadcaster ABS-CBN. The U.S. and Philippines are currently conducting joint military drills that include some 9,000 American troops and 5,000 personnel from the Philippines, along with smaller contingents from Australia and Japan. On Monday, U.S. and Filipino forces were scheduled to hold an exercise on the Philippine island of Palawan, about 300 miles from Sandy Cay, aimed at countering an attempted landing by enemy forces. Beijing has responded to the exercises, known as Balikatan, or 'shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog, by projecting its force. Last week, it sailed one of its aircraft carriers near the Batanese Islands in the Luzon Strait, the waterway between Taiwan and the Philippines, where U.S. and Philippine personnel are also conducting drills. 'I always see this as a positive when China reacts to us," said Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Michael Logico. 'It only means that we have probably done something worthy of their attention." Sandy Cay was at the center of a previous standoff between the Philippines and China in 2017 after the Philippines started building a shelter for its fishermen on one of the sandbars. China protested, saying the two sides had agreed not to occupy new features in the South China Sea. The Philippines' then-president, Rodrigo Duterte, who maintained a close relationship with Beijing, scrapped the hut building. The Philippines has remained a notable exception to a recent charm offensive by Chinese leader Xi Jinping as he confronts new tariffs from the U.S. He didn't visit the Philippines during a trip to China's Southeast Asian neighbors earlier this month. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the current president of the Philippines, has intensified ties with the U.S. Analysts say the Sandy Cay standoff signals China's increased efforts to assert its claims to the South China Sea. 'This is part of trying to continue to push that narrative, that despite everything the Philippines has done to push back, China's march continues," said Raymond Powell, director of the SeaLight project at Stanford University, which tracks Chinese maritime activity. 'We can expect to see China push that forward in ways big and small, usually small enough that it doesn't generate an aggressive U.S. or international backlash, but just enough to keep reminding, especially the Philippines but also all the neighboring countries, that resistance is futile," he said. The tit-for-tat over Sandy Cay appeared to continue after the Philippine teams visited on Sunday. Philippine authorities said their teams had spotted what they called the 'illegal" presence of vessels from the Chinese coast guard and maritime militias nearby. China's coast guard countered that the Philippine personnel had landed 'illegally" despite warnings from the Chinese side. Chinese coast-guard officers subsequently visited the island to investigate, it said. Write to Gabriele Steinhauser at and Austin Ramzy at
The Independent
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
US and Philippines launch ‘Super Bowl' of military exercises around South China Sea
The Philippines and the US have launched the largest iteration of their annual Balikatan military drills, deploying thousands of soldiers in what has been called the ' Super Bowl ' of exercises for its unparalleled scale. The 40th edition of Balikatan, which means shoulder-to-shoulder in Tagalog, is scheduled to take place from 21 April to 9 May. The drills are expected to involve some 14,000 troops, with contingents from the UK, France, Canada, Australia and Japan also participating. In addition, As many as 19 countries are set to join as observers for the exercises this year, which the Philippine military notes highlights their shared commitment to peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The 'full battle tests' will also underscore the intent of the US, the security partner of the Philippines, to continue its military support for the Southeast Asian nation at a time when it faces intensifying pressure from China in the South China Sea. Nearly 9,000 troops from the US and 5,000 from the Philippines are taking part in the 18-day war games across western and northern Philippines, facing the regional flashpoints of South China Sea and Taiwan. Army Brigadier General Michael Logico said the drills would include a "full battle test" simulating realistic defence scenarios, marking a significant evolution in scope and complexity. 'This is the Super Bowl of all exercises in this part of the region,' the general added. 'The full battle tests are intended to take into consideration all of the regional security challenges that we face today, beginning in the South China Sea.' Major General Francisco Lorenzo, director of this year's exercises for the Philippines, tried to downplay the perception that the military drills were aimed specifically at China. 'Balikatan is not against any nation but it's a joint training with US forces to increase our capability in securing our territory,' he said. 'The Balikatan exercise may probably help deter the conflict in Taiwan. But for our concern, it is only for deterrence of any possible coercion or invasion of our country.' To test the defences of the archipelago, the exercises will see fighter jets, warships, and an array of weaponry deployed to simulate repelling an island attack. The US is deploying advanced weaponry for the drills such as the Typhon missile system, capable of launching Tomahawks that could reach China and Russia, and the NMESIS anti-ship missile system. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said in Manila last month that Washington would be deploying the NMESIS system for the first time in the war games, covering air and missile defence in northern Luzon and the Batanes Islands. 'We are ready,' US Marine Corps Lt Gen James Glynn told a press briefing when asked if Washington and Manila had the capability to address any major acts of aggression in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea after years of joint combat exercises. 'Our combined strength' Gen Glynn said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the drills, 'possesses a degree of lethality for a force that possesses an indomitable warrior ethos and spirit. It's all dedicated to one purpose, to ensure the defence of the Philippines and to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.' The opening ceremony of the exercises was marked by a protest in Quezon City demanding the withdrawal of foreign troops from the Philippines. The protesters burnt mock flags of the US and raised banners of 'Stop US-led wars' and 'Stop Militarisation'. Many said they feared the presence of foreign soldiers could fuel tensions with China. Some described the US as an 'imperialist' nation. China expressed its strong opposition to the exercises saying previous editions had seen war games conducted beyond the territorial waters of the Philippines and into its exclusive economic zone. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday Beijing firmly opposed any country using Taiwan as an excuse to strengthen regional military deployment and "provoke tension and confrontation". "The parties concerned are advised not to provoke on the Taiwan issue, and those who play with fire will burn themselves," Mr Guo said at a regular press briefing. Tensions between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea, especially over disputed areas like the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, have been going on for several years but have escalated significantly since 2022. There have even been violent clashes in recent years involving their coast guard personnel and maritime militias. China's navy said on Sunday a Philippine frigate had "illegally intruded" into the waters of Scarborough Shoal, "seriously violating" Chinese sovereignty and laws. The navy monitored and drove the vessel away, it said. A navy spokesperson urged the Philippine side to immediately stop the "infringement and provocation".
Observer
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Philippines calls joint US drills 'defence rehearsal'
MANILA: The United States is deploying around 9,000 troops to the Philippines for this year's joint military exercises, as the allies strengthen ties amid tensions with China over its activities in the South China Sea and in Taiwan. The annual drills, which the Philippine military on Tuesday described as a rehearsal for national defence, will include 5,000 Filipino troops, 200 from the Australia Defence Force, and observers from the Japan Self-Defence Force. For the first time, observers from countries like Poland and the Czech Republic will also participate. While this year's troop count is lower than 2023's 17,600, it will be more purposeful, Brigadier General Michael Logico, spokesperson for the event, told a press conference. The annual 'Balikatan,' or 'shoulder-to-shoulder' drills reflect deepening defence ties between the two allies, as tensions simmer in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, where China recently held large-scale military exercises. The drills will run from April 21 to May 9. — Reuters
South China Morning Post
15-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippines vows ‘Super Bowl' of exercises in coming Balikatan military drills with US
The Philippines' Balikatan or shoulder-to-shoulder military drills with the United States this year will be the 'Super Bowl' of exercises that will fully test Manila's defence plan, Army Brigadier General Michael Logico has vowed. Advertisement Echoing the sentiments on Tuesday, American counterpart Marine Colonel Doug Krugman said the drills would include 'quite an interesting mix of equipment' – including the China-opposed Typhon missile system – to be deployed by the US. Another weapon freshly brought in by the US for the missions, which will start on April 21 and run until May 9, is the NMESIS anti-ship missile system, with Krugman hinting the arsenal could remain in the Philippines after the Balikatan. The Typhon or the Strategic Mid-Range Fires System, which can launch Tomahawks capable of reaching China and Russia, will continue to be deployed in an unknown location in the Philippines. As to whether a second such system would be installed, both officers would only give vague answers. Inside Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Balikatan military drills are set to be held later this month. Photo: Raissa Robles Asked by This Week in Asia whether the NMESIS could also stay on after the drills much like the MRC a year ago, Krugman said: 'If there's another exercise going in the Philippines shortly after Balikatan, and that equipment is appropriate and requested for by the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], we would certainly want to participate in that exercise as well, but it is here for exercise purposes.'
