Philippines, US to Expand Military Cooperation in 2023

In 2023, the Philippines and the United States are going to ramp up military exercises in the region, with the goal of boosting agility and quick responses to emerging threats in the region.

The move comes amid increasing tensions between China and the two countries over competing territorial claims in the South China Sea. According to Beijing, the disputed waters and islands between the Philippines and the PRC are being used by the United States to escalate confrontation with China. In March, Tian Junli, a spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, said that the US guided missile destroyer USS Milius entered the waters of the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea without notifying Beijing.

Earlier, Manila and Washington agreed to expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement to include four new sites. The new locations, as well as five existing sites, will strengthen the interoperability of US and Philippine forces, enabling them to respond more seamlessly to challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the US Defense Department.

The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between Manila and Washington was established in 2014 and allows the US military to use facilities on Philippine bases.

Take a look at a recent major military exercise at the largest military reservation in the Philippines: Fort Magsaysay. Scroll through the snapshots of American and Philippines soldiers training in Sputnik's gallery:

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A U.S. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) fires a missile during a joint military drill between the Philippines and the U.S. called Salaknib in Laur, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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A Filipino and US soldier fire their rifles during a joint military drill dubbed Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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A Filipino soldier fires an AT-4 84 mm anti-tank rocket with the guidance of a US soldier during a joint military drill between the Philippines and the US called Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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Philippine Army Artillery Regiment Commander Anthony Coronel, left, returns a salute from a US soldier during a joint military drill called Salaknib in Laur, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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A Filipino and US soldier participate during a joint military drill called Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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U.S. soldiers inspect a US M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) that caught fire after firing missiles during a joint military drill called Salaknib in Laur, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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A Filipino and US soldier participate during a joint military drill dubbed Salaknib at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.

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A US soldier extinguishes a blaze on one of the tubes of a U.S. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) after firing missiles during a joint military drill between the Philippines and the U.S. called Salaknib at Laur, Nueva Ecija province, northern Philippines.