MANILA, Jan 27 (Xinhua) -- The United States Air Force wants to conduct more live-fire exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the Southeast Asian country, a Philippine military statement said on Saturday.
AFP chief of staff General Rey Leonardo Guerrero met with U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson on Friday at the AFP's general headquarters in Quezon City where they discussed possible joint war exercises between the two-armed forces.
Wilson is in the Philippines for a three-day visit which started on Thursday. Aside from Guerrero, Wilson also met with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and top Philippine Air Force (PAF) officers.
"Wilson expressed interest in the mutual benefits of bilateral training, including live-fire exercises, between PAF and U.S.' Pacific Air Force," the statement read.
It said in all her meetings with Philippine defense and military officers, Wilson discussed "the Philippines-U.S. military partnerships and other mutual defense interests, including air force technical cooperation and capability build-up, among others."
The statement did not elaborate on the details of the discussions.
Guerrero, for his part, thanked Wilson for the U.S. military's continued assistance to further develop the PAF's capabilities, the statement said.
Specifically, the statement said Guerrero thanked Wilson for the U.S. support to defeat the pro-Islamic State Maute terrorists who laid siege to Marawi City in May last year, ensuring a five-month battle that ruined the southern Philippine city.
Guerrero hailed the U.S. military for its "capability and technical cooperation" during the war in Marawi.
