Philippines, US launch annual joint military drills
Thousands of Philippine and American troops kicked off joint military drills dubbed Balikatan, or “shoulder to shoulder” in the Philippines on April 22.
The Philippines’ military Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., (centre, left) and the US Embassy's Chargé d’ Affaires, Robert Ewing (centre, right), arrive at the opening ceremony of the “Balikatan” or Shoulder-to-Shoulder at the Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City, the Philippines, on April 22, 2024. (Photo: AP)
Hanoi (VNA) - Thousands of Philippine and American troops kicked off joint military drills dubbed Balikatan, or “shoulder to shoulder” in the Philippines on April 22.
The exercises, which will run until May 10, will involve around 11,000 American and 5,000 Philippine troops, as well as Australian and French military personnel. France will also deploy a warship that will take part in a joint exercise with Philippine and US vessels. Fourteen countries in Asia and Europe will join as observers.
Philippine Colonel Michael Logico revealed that, for the first time, the drills will go beyond the Philippines' territorial waters, which extend about 22 kilometers from its coastline.
The drills will simulate the sinking of an "enemy ship” and retaking an island.
Last year's dril🍷ls involved 17,600 Philippine and American troops, which were the largest Balikatan exercises since they started in 1991./.
The Philippines and the US will hold security talks in Washington on April 11, the first in about seven years, a spokesman of the US Embassy in Manila said on March 20.
The alliance between the Philippines and the US is very solid and many US businesses want to invest in the Southeast Asian country, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said on March 11 during her two-day official visit to the Philippines.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
The Ministry of Commerce reported that imports also rose 18% to 29.9 billion USD during the same period, resulting in a trade surplus of 1.1 billion USD. In May alone, Thailand posted a 4.6 billion USD trade surplus with the US and a 4.1 billion USD trade deficit with China.
The World Bank will provide a 2.1 billion USD financing package for Indonesia, focusing oncreating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing access to clean energy across the country.
Member states also reviewed progress on six priority areas for 2025, including the development of an underground cable framework, the follow-up agreement to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA), the launch of the ASEAN Energy Efficiency Database, and the rollout of an investment platform for sustainable building initiatives.
The Philippines’ military Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., (centre, left) and the US Embassy's Chargé d’ Affaires, Robert Ewing (centre, right), arrive at the opening ceremony of the “Balikatan” or Shoulder-to-Shoulder at the Camp Aguinaldo military headquarters in Quezon City, the Philippines, on April 22, 2024. (Photo: AP) 
