China joins disaster talks in US-Philippine drills

MANILA, Philippines (AP) --  Two Chinese military officers have for the first time joined a closed-door discussion on disaster response which is part of major annual U.S.-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has protested in the past.

   Philippine Brig. Gen. Aurelio Baladad says the inclusion of military officers from the United States and China along with nine other countries in Monday's talks on responding to sea disasters shows that major powers sometimes seen as rivals can work together on humanitarian goals.

   The daylong discussions, held at the Philippine military headquarters in Manila, were part of the Balikatan military drills involving about 8,000 U.S. and Filipino troops from April 5 to 17. In the past, U.S.-Philippine military exercises involved combat maneuvers near contested South China Sea territories that have prompted protests from Beijing.