US and Philippines conduct joint drills firing rockets towards the East Sea

On the afternoon of May 2, a series of rockets were launched towards the East Sea during a live-fire exercise conducted near the coastal village of Campong Ulay in Palawan, a small island in the Philippines.

The exercise is part of the annual Balikatan military exercises, which are taking place amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. US and Philippine military officials have previously said the exercises are not intended to provoke any particular country.

The rockets were launched into the South China Sea from two M142 high-mobility artillery rocket systems, a lightweight rocket launcher capable of hitting targets up to 80km away. The exercise involved artillery, machine guns and Javelin anti-tank missiles.

Philippine Army Brigadier General Romulo Quemade II was quick to explain the conduct of live-fire exercises near the East Sea, where Beijing and Manila have had many clashes at sea in recent times.

“We are simulating a threat coming from offshore to our shores so we are using our multi-domain capabilities to protect our sovereignty.

This is quite a distance and we only shoot within our waters and territory," Mr. Quemade told reporters.

US Brigadier General Bernard Harrington also stressed that the operation was not aimed at any specific country.

Asked by reporters if China would react to the rocket launch into the South China Sea, Mr. Harrington said: "We work very closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, everything we are doing is within the territorial boundaries of the Philippines."

More than 16,000 troops from the United States and 5,000 from the Philippines, as well as Australian and French forces, began the annual Balikatan exercises in the South China Sea on April 22. For the first time, some of this year’s exercises will take place outside the 12-nautical mile boundary of Philippine territorial waters. The exercises will run until May 8.

The 39th Balikatan exercise is held under the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States, a 1951 agreement that allows both countries to come to each other's aid if attacked. The Pentagon has so far said it is ready to support Manila if it faces a threat from other countries.

The main event of this year’s Balikatan exercise, scheduled for May 3 on Luzon island, will be the sinking of the BRP Lake Caliraya, the Philippine Navy’s only Chinese-made naval vessel. Manila insists there was “no intention” in choosing the target.