"Defense rehearsal": Philippines prepares for multi-country drills as China tensions simmer

While this year's troop count is lower than 2023's 17,600, it will be more purposeful, Brigadier General Michael Logico, spokesperson for the event, told a press conference.

The annual "Balikatan", or "shoulder-to-shoulder" drills reflect deepening defense ties between the two allies, as tensions simmer in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, where China recently held large-scale military exercises.

The South China Sea remains a source of tension between China and Southeast Asian nations, with ties between Beijing and Manila at their worst in years amid frequent confrontations that have sparked concerns of a military conflict.