US-Philippine military drills along South China Sea risk Beijing’s ire: ‘that’s their problem’

The April 22 to May 8 drills involve some 16,000 soldiers and showcase Manila’s new Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), a strategy that aims to defend the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Army Col. Michael Logico, the Filipino spokesman for the drills, said on Wednesday that this year’s Balikatan (“shoulder to shoulder”) exercise will be focusing on territorial defence 12 nautical miles beyond the country’s shoreline.

“That means that our exercises, our defence concepts, have to go beyond 12 nautical miles in order for us to protect our national interests within our territorial waters and also within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” Logico told reporters.

“In the previous exercises, we have been focusing mostly inside military camps. However, we are already very familiar with those areas, it offers no more surprises. So the only way for us to upscale or upgrade our training is to start training in areas that we believe will provide the best benefit for our soldiers,” he added.

Asked by reporters if their drills could cause further tensions with other countries, particularly China, Logico said, “Well, that’s their problem, that’s not our problem.”

Previously, Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr said that the CADC aims to develop the country’s capability to protect its entire territory, including its EEZ, to ensure that the next generation of Filipinos will be able to enjoy its natural resources.

“In plain language, we are developing our capability to protect and secure our entire territory and EEZ in order to ensure that our people and all the generations of Filipinos to come shall freely reap and enjoy the bounties of the natural resources that are rightfully ours within our domain,” Teodoro Jnr said.

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