(Adnkronos) – Ten days of joint exercises between the USA and the Philippines have begun in the aftermath of Chinese military maneuvers around Taiwan and after months of tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. The annual ‘Kamandag’ (or ‘Venom’) exercises, long planned, are focused on defending the northern coast of the island of Luzon, about 800 kilometers from Taiwan. Live fire exercises are planned. Other activities are planned on islets between Luzon and Taiwan. About two thousand men from the US and the Philippines are participating. Australian, British, Japanese and South Korean forces are also taking part in the maneuvers.
