The United States and the Philippines have commenced their largest-ever joint military exercise, Balikatan 2024, which will include drills in the disputed South China Sea. Over 16,000 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military will be participating in the 39th annual exercise, scheduled to run until May 10.

The opening ceremony for the exercise took place at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, where U.S. exercise director Lt. Gen. William Jurney emphasized the increased scope and complexity of this year's Balikatan. He stated, "We have absolutely increased the scope, the scale, and the complexity of the exercise across all domains. [The exercise] matters for regional peace and stability."

Balikatan, meaning "shoulder-to-shoulder" in Tagalog, will involve various activities, including live-fire missile launches, a boat-sinking drill, and training in maritime security, amphibious and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and disaster relief scenarios. Notably, this exercise marks the first time that a joint sail is being conducted beyond the Philippines' territorial waters.

In a significant development, the French navy will join the United States and the Philippines for a trilateral maritime exercise, taking place beyond the Philippines' territorial waters for the first time. This collaboration underscores the commitment of like-minded partners to upholding stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

However, China has expressed condemnation of the upcoming exercise, warning that it will further escalate tensions in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian expressed concerns over the involvement of countries outside the region and the deployment of a U.S. missile system in the northern Philippines. He called it a "forward deployment at China's doorstep to seek unilateral military advantage."

The joint military exercises come at a time when Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seeks to strengthen ties with Washington after his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, pursued closer relations with Beijing. In a recent trilateral summit hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, the leaders of the United States, the Philippines, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the alliance and underscored the importance of countering China's assertive actions in the South China Sea.

As the Balikatan exercise gets underway, all eyes will be on the developments in the South China Sea and how these joint efforts by the United States, the Philippines, and their partners may impact regional security dynamics.