Sunday, July 3, 2011

03/07 US-Philippine joint drill enters 6th day


English.news.cn   2011-07-03 16:14:11FeedbackRSS
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Today marks the sixth day since the United States and the Philippines began their 11-day joint naval exercise. The two naval forces have conducted a marine search mission and more exercises are scheduled.
The timing and location of the exercise has also been questioned and criticized by the Philippine media and political groups.
Sensitively timed and located.
Navies from the US and the Philippines are continuing their joint drill dubbed the 17th "Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training".
The exercise is being held in the Sulu Sea east of Palawan, near the disputed South China Sea. It also comes at a time when tension has been rising.
On Saturday, an under water search mission was carried out on a US salvage ship. Two soldiers from both navies explored shipwrecks while soldiers ashore monitored the situation. The whole operation took about 20 minutes.
The main aim of the exercise is to allow the Philippine navy learn more about US submarine equipment, and underwater techniques.
US Submariner, said, "He's very comfortable in the water. It's a new experience for him. We tried to finish the assignment and he finally did it."
In the next few days, the two navy forces will also conduct more exercises including beach landing and live ammunition drill.
The Philippine military says the exercises were planned a long time ago, and have nothing to do with recent disputes in the South China Sea.
But exercises have incurred questions and criticism from the Philippine media and political groups.
One leftist group, the new patriotic alliance calls the US military aid plan to the Philippines an entire failure.
(Source: cntv.cn)
Editor: Lu Hui

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