Philippine Forces Hold Naval Drills with U.S., Japanese Warships Near Taiwan

The Philippines extended the reach of a series of naval exercises designed to contest Chinese maritime pressure to the country’s northernmost islands near Taiwan while drilling alongside U.S. and Japanese forces last week. A maritime cooperative activity (MCA) – also known as a joint patrol – was held last week in the South China Sea and the northern provinces and Luzon Strait, a strategic first island chain chokepoint separating the Philippines and Taiwan. The expansion of the drills to the waters off Northern Luzon is a first for the Philippines, as Manila takes steps to address its position in a