By Sun Qi
The US and the Philippines launched the 18-day annual joint exercise dubbed Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) in Manila on April 11. This year's exercise has new changes and upgrades in terms of troops scale, exercise area, and content. Considering the recent continuous increase of the US military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, frequent military exercises with Japan, ROK, and promotion of the upgrading of military cooperation in small clique, this exercise deserves high attention from all countries in the region.
From the scale of troops invested in the exercise, the Philippines has deployed 5,400 personnel, while the US has deployed up to 12,200 personnel from various services. In addition, there are also over a hundred members of the Australian Defense Force and observers from other 12 countries including Japan. The number of participants doubled compared with that of last year. In terms of the exercise area, the exercise may cover the four newly established US military bases, which are adjacent to the Babuyan Channel and Balintang Channel as well as China's Nansha Islands. It is clear that the purpose of the US-Philippine military exercise is not as simple as the US-claimed to defend the Philippines.
According to the exercise contents announced by the US and the Philippines, it is evident that the exercise is aimed at the maritime situation. The two sides will conduct joint air defense and anti-missile exercises, with the US practicing the mobile deployment of the Patriot PAC-3 missile system and the Avenger air defense missile system, and their high-altitude and low-altitude air defense capabilities. This fully demonstrates that the US military attaches great importance to the military infrastructure deployed in the Philippines, with a focus on preventing opponents from using long-range attack ammunition to destroy or paralyze the US military presence in the Philippines. In addition, cyber attacks and defense have also been included in this joint drill for the first time.
Analysts point out that although the dubbed Balikatan is a routine exercise, lead and manipulate by the US, it has become a tool for accelerating the implementation of the US's "integrated deterrence" strategy and coercing regional countries to take sides.
In recent years, the US has attempted to turn the Philippines into an anti-China outpost by strengthening military cooperation, so it can fill the gap in the Pacific "island chain" that the US has painstakingly built. The US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue was held on the same day the joint military exercise was launched. The joint statement issued at this dialogue proposed that both sides will promote the rapid deployment of new US military bases in the Philippines, and the US will provide financial support for this.
The Cold War thinking and hegemonic logic of the US behind the shoulder-to-shoulder exercise are bound to pose greater risks and challenges to the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region. Wherever the US military goes, it leaves behind a chaotic, divided and perforated mess. Under the guise of joint exercises, the US is forming cliques in the Asia-Pacific region and pushing for the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which will only create regional divisions, destroy peace and hinder development. Many Filipinos held protests against this military exercise, and some scholars called on the Philippines to adhere to an independent foreign policy.
The Asia-Pacific region is the shared home for the countries in this region. Blindly catering to external forces will fail to maintain their own security, intensify the tense situation and harm regional peace and stability, which ultimately leads to self-inflicted harm.
