The United States and the Philippines are slated to hold their first-ever large-scale combat exercise in October.

Filipino officials on Thursday announced that the Philippines' and United States' armed forces would conduct the annual joint military exercise - PHIBLEX 33 - next month. The annual military exercise would be held at northern gunnery range in the Philippines from October 4 to 12.

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"The annual exercise will be held on October 4-12 with the opening ceremony set to be held at the Philippine Marine Corps headquarters, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City," Philippines Marine Corps Public Affairs Director Captain Ryan F. Lacuesta said. "Activities lined up for PHIBLEX 33 include the amphibious landing exercise at the Naval Education Training Command in San Antonio and the combined live fire exercise (CALFEX at Crow Valley."

The President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte recently suggested that U.S. troops must leave country's southern province Mindanao. He warned that the presence of American troops in the trouble region is causing further deterioration of the situation. Duterte's anti-US tirade is believed to have strained the ties between the two countries.

Last week, Duterte said that his country would not take part in joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea. His remarks came as a setback to the United States which has been patrolling the contested waters.

In July, the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled against China in favor of the Philippines in a long-standing territorial dispute over islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The US, Japan, and other foreign powers have repeatedly asked China to recognize the ruling of the international arbitration court. 

TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, US, Philippines, joint military exercises