Philippines says US war games to go ahead in 2017, later plans to be reviewed

Hanoi: The Philippines will go ahead with joint military exercises in 2017 with treaty ally the United States but the holding of war games from 2018 onwards would be reviewed, the country`s foreign minister said on Thursday.

Speaking in Hanoi following President Rodrigo Duterte`s announcement late on Wednesday that joint exercises starting next week would be the last between them, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said the 2017 drills were agreed by the previous administration and anything beyond then would be reassessed.

He said the Philippines did not want a military ally and wished to be friends with all countries, and alienate none, and that would be how it would settle disputes in the South China Sea.