(Bloomberg) -- Philippine and Japan navies held their first bilateral drills in the South China Sea, the Southeast Asian nation’s military said in a statement Friday.
The two nations conducted communications exercises and tactical maneuvering in disputed waters, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The activities “reinforced the strong ties and mutual commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region,” it added.
Tokyo and Manila recently signed a key agreement that would facilitate mutual military visits, as both contend with tensions with China. The US has also been holding drills with the Philippine military.
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