TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — Taiwan simulated intercepting Chinese attacks from the sea in annual war games on Tuesday, with President Tsai Ing-wen hailing the military’s “determination” as she watched from onboard a destroyer. Democratic Taiwan lives under constant threat of being invaded by China, which views the self-ruled island as part of its territory to be seized by force if necessary. On the second day of the island’s largest annual war drills, Tsai, dressed […]
Tag: war games
US, Philippines kick off their largest-ever war games
by Ron Lopez and Mikhail Flores Agence France-Presse MANILA, Philippines (AFP) – The Philippines and the United States launched the largest-ever joint military drills in the archipelago nation on Monday, signalling deepening defence ties as fresh tensions surface in the disputed South China Sea. The war games are the last under outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, who previously threatened to cancel exercises and axe a key military deal with longtime ally the United States as he […]
US, Philippines to hold their ‘largest-ever’ war games
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippines and the United States will kick off the largest-ever joint military drills in the archipelago nation next week, US officials said Tuesday, showing off their strong defence ties in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness. Nearly 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers will take part in the 12-day war games on the main island of Luzon, which are usually an annual affair but were cancelled or curbed during the […]
US cancels Balikatan exercises in the PHL due to virus pandemic
The US military has cancelled a large-scale exercise involving thousands of troops in the Philippines because of the coronavirus pandemic. The decision to scrap Balikatan 2020 was taken “in light of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding COVID-19 pandemic and in the best interest of the health and safety of both countries’ forces”, US Indo-Pacific Command chief Admiral Phil Davidson said. The war games, scheduled for May 4-15, would have involved more than 10,000 troops from the […]
Trump’s vow to end US-SKorea drills catches Pentagon off guard
by Thomas WATKINS Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – Pentagon officials were surprised Tuesday after President Donald Trump vowed at his summit with the North’s leader Kim Jong Un to cancel “provocative” joint military drills with South Korea. Following the unprecedented meeting in Singapore, Trump stunned observers when he said continuing the exercises routinely held between the US and South Korea would be “inappropriate” while Washington fleshes out a comprehensive deal with Pyongyang. “We will […]
Philippines, US launch scaled-down military exercises
by Mynardo Macaraig Agence France Presse MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippines and the United States launched annual military exercises on Monday but the longtime allies scaled them down in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China and Russia. Duterte in his 10 months in office has sought to weaken ties with the United States — the Philippines’ mutual defense treaty partner and former colonial ruler — saying its role as a global […]
Philippine leader open to war games with China, Russia
MANILA, Philippines | AFP | — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he is open to joint military exercises with China and Russia, and reiterated he will no longer allow war games with the United States. Duterte made the remarks in an interview broadcast Monday with Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television ahead of a four-day visit to Beijing, which begins on Tuesday and is aimed at improving ties that soured over competing claims in the resource-rich […]
Philippines, US hold war games after Duterte tirades
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — The Philippines and the United States launched war games on Tuesday against the backdrop of the unusual threat of American forces being ejected from the Southeast Asian nation, as its firebrand leader pivots to China. President Rodrigo Duterte has sustained a verbal assault on the United States, the Philippines’ former colonial ruler and mutual defence partner, since he took office on June 30 in response to criticism of his deadly […]
Philippines & U.S. troops hold maritime survillance exercises in joint war games
Philippine and US troops engaged in maritime surveillance exercises in a military facility in Zambales, aiming to strengthen security ties between the two nations.





