Philippine and Australian troops are conducting Exercise Alon 25, the largest military drill between the two countries, per media reports. Chinese military affairs experts said that judging from the training objectives, the exercise provides a scenario for Australia mimicking combat in the future, but has limited military significance for the Philippines. 

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defense Force (ADF) are scheduled to train around Luzon, including the islands of Palawan between August 15 and 29. More than 3,600 personnel are taking part, including members of the Royal Canadian Navy and the US Marine Corps' Marine Rotation Force - Darwin, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported. 

This year's iteration will feature live-fire exercises at military training ranges and maritime zones. 

The drill will also test joint force projection through the mass airlift of an army battle group with armored, engineering, health and artillery units. Amphibious landings and maritime maneuvers are also planned, per the PNA.

Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones of Royal Australian Navy, claimed that Exercise Alon 25 demonstrates the strength of the Australian-Philippine security partnership, according to a press release on Australia's defense ministry website. 

"Exercise Alon 25 is an opportunity for us to practice how we collaborate and respond to shared security challenges, and project force over great distances in the Indo-Pacific," Jones said.

Launched in 2023, Exercise Alon has expanded to include maritime, land and air training, supported by cyber and space capabilities, PNA report claimed. 

Chinese military affairs expert Zhang Junshe told the Global Times on Sunday that judging from training objectives, a key point of the exercise is the drill of projecting Australian forces over a long distance from the South Pacific region to the Western Pacific.

"This exercise has provided a rather realistic site and scenario that mimic Australia supporting the US' operations in the Asia-Pacific region in the future. It includes not only strategic projection drills, but also landing operations and maritime operations. The Philippines has provided Australia with a scenario that is closer to future operations, a rare opportunity for Australia," Zhang said.

Yet the Philippines has not gained much militarily from the Australia-Philippines bilateral exercises and the multilateral military exercises involving the US and other countries. "The Philippines can take this opportunity to observe and learn about landing operations of Western countries, but the Philippines does not have the weapons used by the West and cannot realize joint operations or landing in terms of equipment and combat capacity, therefore the military boost to the Philippines is limited," Zhang added.

Australia is the second nation, after the US, to have a Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, allowing for large-scale troop deployments and joint combat exercises in each other's territory, the Associated Press reported Friday. A similar defense pact between the Philippines and Japan is set to take effect next month. 

Manila is actively negotiating similar agreements with other countries, and its primary consideration lies in political significance and the effect on international public opinion, Zhang said.

The most important purpose is to tout that the Philippines has the support of the US and other non-regional countries. The Philippines hopes to draw more external countries into the South China Sea, thereby achieving its strategic attempt of carrying out infringements, provocations and illegal territorial claim in the South China Sea, the expert said. 

However, the expert also emphasized the need to closely monitor the developments regarding the Philippines' enhanced joint military exercises and its cooperation with extra-regional countries on defense equipment and technology.

But the Philippines should bear in mind that those countries have their own political agendas, and will not make sacrifices for Manila in times of emergency, Zhang said, noting that the Philippines' move cannot intimidate the Chinese people. 

"No country should underestimate the resolve and capability of the Chinese military to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Zhang noted.