MANILA, Philippines, May 7, 2018 (News Wires) — US and Philippine forces on Monday began their largest annual military exercises since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power and vowed to scale down America's military presence in the country as he sought closer ties with China and Russia. The Balikatan exercises opened with a ceremony at the main Philippine military camp in Manila and were to feature about 8,000 American and Filipino personnel and small contingents from Japan and Australia. American and Philippine officials praised the long treaty alliance between the US and its former Southeast Asian colony and then linked arms in a show of solidarity. The exercises are "just one of many embodiments of our robust relationship," US Ambassador Sung Kim said. The drills "will continue to reinforce the deep and lasting commitment between our two countries for a peaceful and secure region." After rising to power in 2016, Duterte vowed to scale back the presence of US troops involved in counterterrorism training in the country's south and once threatened to end the annual drills with American forces. The volatile leader, who has been critical of US security policies, has taken steps to revive ties with China that had been strained under his predecessor over longstanding territorial conflicts in the South China Sea. Duterte's animosity with Washington was partly ignited by US government condemnation of his deadly campaign against illegal drugs, though that criticism has eased under President Donald Trump. A leaked Philippine transcript of a call between the two leaders last year showed Trump praising Duterte's anti-drug efforts. Though this year's Balikatan exercises will be the largest under Duterte, Philippine officials stressed they're not aimed at China, but on the threat of urban terrorism and other man-made crisis and natural disasters. In addition to amphibious beach landings, live-fire maneuvers and disaster-response scenarios, the exercises will involve combat drills in mock urban settings to train special forces in battling terrorists in cities as they did during the Islamic State group-linked siege on southern Marawi city last year.
