Kinumpirma ngayon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na 14 bansa ang dadalo bilang `observers’ sa nalalapit na 2024 Balikatan joint military exercises sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos.

Ayon kay 2024 Balikatan exercises executive agent Colonel Michael Logico, ang mga bansa na kumpirmadong manonood at magmamasid ay ang Japan, South Korea, India, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Germany, at New Zealand.

Ang Balikatan 2024 ay itinakda ngayong April at tatagal hanggang May na sasalihan ng 16,000 sundalo kabilang ang 11,000 US troops at 5,000 tauhan ng AFP.

Tinutukoy ni Logico na ang mga kalahok sa pagsasanay ay mula sa hanay ng Philippine Navy, US Navy, French Navy at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, ang mga aktibidad sa 2024 Balikatan ay gagawin sa international waters na may distansya na 12 nautical miles o 22.22 kilometro ang layo mula sa west coast ng Palawan.

Tiniyak ni Logico na hindi kasali ang China sa nalalapit na Balikatan joint military exercises.

“I believe China has some policy issues with the United States, and these are the list of countries that have been mutually agreed upon between the Philippines and the United States,” pahayag ni Logico.

“This year’s Balikatan will be a showcase of our capabilities in performing our mandate in accordance with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept... That means that our exercises, our defense concepts have to go beyond 12 nautical miles in order for us to protect our national interests within our territorial waters and also within the exclusive economic zone,” dagdag na pahayag ni Logico.

Nilinaw ni Logico na pagsasanay ang layunin ng 2024 Balikatan at hindi para palalain ang tensyon sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“Well, that’s their problem, that’s not our problem,” tugon ni Logico.