The Philippines will restart military drills with the U.S. on Monday as the Southeast Asian nation seeks to speed up vaccine deliveries from its longtime defense ally.
Amid growing tensions in the South China Sea, more than 1,000 Filipino soldiers and 700 military personnel from the U.S. will participate in the drills, Philippine military chief Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana told reporters by phone Sunday, adding it’s a smaller group compared to previous exercises, given the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. and Philippine defense secretaries discussed the South China Sea situation and the recent massing of China’s vessels at Whitsun Reef in a phone call on Sunday. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stressed the importance of continuing the 1998 visiting forces agreement that facilitates joint military exercises between the two countries.
Read more at Bloomberg.
{Matzav.com}
