Philippines, allies kick off naval drills amid Asia-Pacific tension

Forces from Manila, Britain,Canada, Japan and the United States kicked off on Monday two weeks of joint naval exercises in Philippine waters as a “show
of force”, amid flaring regional tension.
With more than 1,800 participants, the drills follow last week’s move by Beijing to block Philippine fishermen from Asia’s most contested maritime feature, the Scarborough Shoal, held by China in the South China Sea.
This year’s “Sama Sama” drills are being held in the southern part of the island of Luzon, featuring naval exercises in areas such as anti-submarine warfare, air defence and search and rescue, the Philippine navy said.
“With this show of force and active engagement of our allies and partners, ‘Sama Sama’ transcends mere military exercises,” Philippine navy chief Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci said at the opening event.