Australia carries out joint military drills with Philippines amid tensions with China in disputed seas

Australian and Philippines armed forces are carrying out air assault training and practicing re-taking an island from a hostile enemy in a series of joint drills in the South China Sea.

Supported by the United States, this is the first time the Commonwealth nation has offered military training and support to the Philippines against a backdrop of tensions between the Philippines and China.

It comes after the US, Japan and Australian military planned a joint navy drill in the region earlier this month following what has been reported as rising aggression from China in the disputed seas around the Philippines.

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More than 2,000 personnel from both nations have taken part in various training exercises, including amphibious landing and air assault drills during Exercise Alon held at Antonio Bautista Naval Base, Palawan.

Alon is a bilateral amphibious training activity which includes air, maritime amphibious and follow-on land operations exercises.

The training was observed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines Bongbong Marcos and the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia MP Richard Marles.

The Australian MP said they "share a firm commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region".

In a statement, MP Marles said: "(August 25) at Zambales, we observed joint amphibious activities which showed how far we have come to draw our militaries even closer together.

"Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 in the Philippines was supported by the United States Marine Corps, which demonstrated the value of partners working together to achieve mutual objectives.

"We agreed on the importance of all states operating safely and professionally, while respecting and adhering to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and we reaffirmed our strong support of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award.

"We recommitted to planning bilateral joint patrols in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea and other areas of mutual interest."