The armed forces of the Philippines, the United States and four other countries have begun joint naval exercises off the coast of the Philippines' northern Luzon island, facing Taiwan, in a display of naval strength amid rising tensions with China.
Called "sama sama," which means togetherness, this year's drills — which involve almost a thousand sailors and personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the United States and the Philippines — are high-intensity exercises focusing on antisubmarine, antisurface and antiair warfare.
U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata told reporters in the port of Subic, to the west of Manila, that building partnerships with key allies created a "deterrent effect," though he added that the exercises were not targeted at any country.
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