The Philippines' Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro arrives to attend the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) in Jakarta, Indonesia, November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan/Pool/File PhotoThe Philippines and the United States will carry out annual military exercises next month in key locations including Philippine islands facing the South China Sea and Taiwan, as tensions with China in the region continue to simmer. China claims Taiwan as its own territory despite the island's rejection and routinely stages air and naval military operations near the island. The exercises will also include areas in Palawan province in the South China Sea where frequent maritime run-ins between Manila and Beijing have occurred over the past year. France and the Philippines are both seeking authority to negotiate a military agreement.

Source: The Standard March 05, 2024 21:10 UTC