澳大利亚、加拿大和美国舰艇于4月12日至18日在南中国海进行了战术演练、直升机交叉甲板降落以及人员交流，旨在为支持“自由开放的印太地区”的“肩并肩2026”（Balikatan 2026）演习进行预演。
参与此次行动的舰艇包括澳大利亚皇家海军的图文巴号（HMAS Toowoomba）护卫舰、加拿大皇家海军的夏洛特敦号（HMCS Charlottetown）护卫舰、一架加拿大皇家空军的超级美洲豹（Super Puma）直升机，以及美国海军的阿什兰号（USS Ashland）船坞登陆舰，舰上搭载了阿什兰特遣部队的陆战队员。
阿什兰号指挥官亚当·皮普尔斯中校表示，这些活动为盟军提供了“与盟友和伙伴交流的绝佳机会”，提升了互操作性和信息共享能力。参与的官兵们“致力于维护地区安全”。
这些演练是4月20日“肩并肩2026”演习开始前的预备行动。菲律宾武装部队重申，此次整体演习“性质是防御性的”，旨在确保并保护其合法权益。
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US and Philippine defense officials reaffirmed their mutual defense treaty and signed a new security agreement during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Balikatan 2026, the largest edition yet, opened in the Philippines on April 20 with over 17,000 troops from the Philippines, United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and France. It marks the first participation of Japan Self-Defense Forces troops on Philippine soil since World War II. The three-week exercises focus on interoperability and maritime operations amid global tensions.
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China's military conducted live-fire exercises in waters east of the Philippines' Luzon Island, as stated on Friday. The drills coincide with the annual Balikatan exercises hosted by Manila and Washington, extending into disputed South China Sea areas. Japan is joining with combat troops for the first time amid strains with Beijing.
China's PLA Navy has deployed a task group led by the Liaoning aircraft carrier to the western Pacific for routine training exercises that include live-fire drills and tactical flights.
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Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said international naval drills in the West Philippine Sea recognize the Philippines' claims under the 2016 arbitral ruling. He shared this in an ANC interview on April 1, even as China rejects the decision. Carpio pointed out that this falls short of full enforcement due to the Philippines' lack of political will.
The Philippine Coast Guard announced it will deploy vessels and aircraft to challenge and drive away Chinese research ships conducting unlawful marine scientific research in the West Philippine Sea. Four Chinese vessels were detected operating in Philippine waters without government consent. The PCG emphasized that foreign marine scientific research requires prior government authorization.