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| US Marines conduct a beach landing exercise (File Photo) |
SAN ANTONIO, Philippines — The Philippines said Tuesday it would soon ask the United States for more military equipment and training to build its defenses, as it faces Chinese "aggressiveness" in disputed waters.
As hundreds of Filipino and American Marines simulated an amphibious assault to reclaim territory from invaders during annual war games, military chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang told AFP he was drafting a "wish list" for US aid.
Catapang said the Philippines would ask for "equipment and training," when Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario traveled to the US in about a week's time.
"The US has told us that they will help us develop our capabilities, and now, we are focused on maritime security," Catapang said as he watched tanks emerge from the sea and roll onto the beach.
"We want to have capability on wetland, marshland, and beach landings," he said when asked to elaborate on the contents of the "wish list."
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