British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said the United Kingdom will act as observers in the joint military drills between the Philippines and the United States next month.
"This year, for the first time, [the UK] will be observers to Balikatan, which is starting on the 11th of April, as you know, so this is an area of growing cooperation, and [we] expect to see more,” Beaufils said in an interview with GMA Integrated News on Saturday.or 'shoulder-to-shoulder' drills also come against the backdrop of what the Philippines calls "aggressive" Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
The drills, held from April 11 to 28, will see 17,600 participants from both sides, including around 12,000 from the United States, and "live fire exercises into the water" for the first time, according to Colonel Michael Logico, director of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' training center and spokesperson for the event on March 14.
In addition to their observer status in the Balikatan exercise, the UK's Royal Navy has planned other military engagements with the Philippines, such as possible joint patrol operations and passing exercises.The UK Carrier Strike Group ship is also set to return to the Philippines in 2025 to participate in military exercises, though the details remain undisclosed for security reasons.
The UK is expected to launch the Developing Country Trading Scheme, or DCTS, this year. The DCTS will benefit Philippine exporters to the UK since over 90% of products from the Philippines going to the UK will be duty-free.This highlights the opportunities for the UK and the Philippines to strengthen economic relations in various sectors, including renewable energy, green infrastructure, and technology."You've got obviously agricultural products like mangoes and these things.
Tourists are expected to flock to London for the event, with hotels and attractions already fully booked.For Filipinos who wish to watch the coronation, the British Embassy has announced that they will be hosting a live screening at the Quezon Memorial Circle.It will be the first crowning ceremony in the UK since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. —
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