Page 6 - Military Drills

Philippines, Singapore broaden defence ties with new military agreement

The Philippines is signing a defence pact with Singapore on Wednesday that will allow their militaries to broaden their engagement, including holding joint exercises to prepare for humanitarian emergencies and other contingencies, Philippine officials said. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro will sign the Defence Cooperation Agreement with his counterpart in Singapore, two Philippine officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity ahead of the signing. Details of the agreement were not immediately available. Since territorial hostilities between China and the Philippines surged last year at two hotly disputed shoals in the South China Sea, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's administration has taken steps to forge new security alliances with a number of Asian and Western countries and allowed a US military presence at more Philippine bases under a 2014 defense pact. In his state of the nation address before the Philippine Congress on Monday, Marcos stressed that

Taiwan reports increase in military activity by China near its borders

Ten of the detected aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait's median line, which traditionally serves as an informal boundary

Taiwan reports increase in Chinese military activity near its borders

Total of 10 Chinese aircraft and 6 Chinese vessels were detected operating in proximity to Taiwan

Our country's future must not depend on China's goodwill: Taiwan minister

Chui-cheng said that China's propaganda and threats were the root cause of the air of uncertainty across the state of Taiwan Strait

Taiwan detects 23 Chinese military aircraft, 7 naval ships around island

In response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems

Taiwan detects 15 Chinese military aircraft, 6 naval ships around island

According to Taiwan News, in response, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor the PLA activity

Chinese rocket carrying satellite passes over south Taiwan, poses no threat

Chinese rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China's Sichuan

Taiwan detects 11 Chinese aircraft, 8 naval vessels near its territory

Taiwan in its response, sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems

Tensions rise as Chinese aircraft, vessels intrude near Taiwan's territory

As the situation in the Taiwan Strait continues to unfold, regional stability hangs in the balance, with any escalation posing significant risks

US conducts 1st precision bombing drill in 7 yrs amid tensions with N Korea

The United States flew a long-range B-1B bomber over the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday for its first precision-guided bombing drill with South Korea in seven years, the South said Wednesday. The US B-1B bomber conducted joint aerial drills with other US and South Korean fighter jets, South Korea's Defence Ministry said in a statement. It said the B-1B bomber dropped Joint Direct Attack Munitions during the training while being escorted by South Korean jets, the first such bombing drill since 2017. The JDAM bombs include bunker-busters. JDAM is a guidance system that converts unguided, conventional bombs into more precise, GPS-guided weapons. All US fighter jets, bombers and drones can use JDAMs, and the munitions are among the weapons systems the United States has been providing to Ukraine to help it fight Russia's invasion. The drill is seen as a show of force against North Korea amid rising tensions over its recent launches of trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea. North Ko

South Korea suspends military deal with North Korea over trash balloons

South Korea on Tuesday took steps to suspend a contentious military agreement with North Korea and resume frontline military activities, as tensions between the rivals are rising over the North's recent launch of trash-carrying balloons. North Korea didn't immediately respond, but South Korea's resumption of firing exercises or propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts will likely prompt North Korea to take similar or stronger steps along the rivals' tense border. In the past week, North Korea has used balloons to drop manure, cigarette butts, scraps of cloth and waste paper on South Korea, prompting Seoul to vow unbearable retaliation. On Sunday, North Korea said it would halt its balloon campaign. On Tuesday, South Korea's Cabinet Council and President Yoon Suk Yeol approved a proposal to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean agreement on lowering frontline military tensions. It will take effect once Seoul formally notifies the North. Cho Chang-rae, South Korea's deputy defense minister for poli

Prospect of peaceful 'reunification' with Taiwan being 'eroded', says China

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore, Dong said Taiwan was the core of core issues for China, but Taiwan is incrementally pursuing separatism

Taiwan detects 10 Chinese ships, 2 military aircraft around island

In retaliation, Taiwan responded by monitoring the PLA activity with planes, naval ships, and coastal-based missile systems

Taiwan detects 13 Chinese military aircraft, 9 naval vessels around island

The Ministry for National Defence of Taiwan detected 13 Chinese military aircraft, five naval vessels, and four coast guard ships around Taiwan

US lawmakers express support for Taiwan after China's military drills

Addressing a news conference in Taipei, US Representative Michael McCaul called the drills an intimidation tactic to punish democracy and vowed to bolster Taiwan's defense

US lawmakers visit Taiwan in show of support after China's military drills

A US congressional delegation met Taiwan's new leader on Monday in a show of support shortly after China held drills around the self-governing island in response to his inauguration speech. Rep. Andy Barr, the co-chair of the Taiwan caucus in the US Congress, said the United States is fully committed to supporting Taiwan militarily, diplomatically and economically. There should be no doubt, there should be no scepticism in the United States, Taiwan or anywhere in the world, of American resolve to maintain the status quo and peace in the Taiwan Strait, the representative from Kentucky said at a news conference after the delegation met Taiwan President Lai Ching-te. Taiwan's new foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, noted the recent Chinese drills and called the American delegation's visit an important gesture of solidarity at a critical time. The delegation included both Republicans and Democrats and was led by Rep. Michael McCaul, the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The Te

Taiwan detects 21 Chinese military aircraft, 11 naval vessels around island

The escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait highlight the ongoing geopolitical complexities in the region, with Taiwan reaffirming its commitment to defending its sovereignty

Taiwan detects Chinese military aircraft, vessels encircling nation

According to Taiwan's MND statement, seven PLA aircraft, 14 PLAN vessels, and four China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were tracked operating in the island's vicinity

US 'deeply concerned' about China's military drills around Taiwan

Matthew Miller stated that US remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act

Taiwan tracks dozens of Chinese warplanes, navy vessels near its coast

Taiwan tracked dozens of Chinese warplanes and navy vessels off its coast Friday on the second day of a large exercise China's People's Liberation Army held in response to the island's new leadership. The defence ministry said it tracked 49 warplanes and 19 navy vessels, as well as Chinese coast guard vessels, and that 35 of the planes flew across the median of the Taiwan Strait, the de facto boundary between the sides, over a 24-hour period from Thursday to Friday. Facing external challenges and threats, we will continue to maintain the values of freedom and democracy, Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te told sailors and top security officials Thursday as he visited a marine base in Taoyuan, just south of the capital, Taipei. In his inauguration speech Monday, Lai had called on Beijing to stop its military intimidation and said Taiwan was "a sovereign independent nation in which sovereignty lies in the hands of the people. China's military said its two-day exercises around Taiwan