Philippines plans ambitious exercise with U.S. as concerns over China grow

MANILA — The Philippines and the United States are preparing to hold their most ambitious joint military exercise yet next week as tensions between the Philippines and China escalate in the South China Sea, according to more than a dozen officials.

For the first time since the annual exercise started in 1991, the Philippines and the United States will conduct joint naval drills beyond the 12 nautical miles of the Philippines’ territorial waters, in parts of open sea claimed by China, officials said. More than 16,000 soldiers from the two militaries will operate out of a joint command center to perform four major activities with a focus on countering maritime and air attacks.