US, Philippines Eye Record Military Drills as War Fears Grow

More than 17,000 military personnel will participate in the biggest-ever joint drills by the Philippines, the US and other nations as they rehearse warfighting skills amid tensions with China and the Middle East conflict.

Troops from Australia, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand will also take part in this year’s Balikatan — “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog — exercises running from April 20 to May 8, the Philippine military said on Tuesday.