By Karen Lema
SAN ANTONIO,&nbsp;Philippines (Reuters) - U.S. and&nbsp;Philippine&nbsp;armed forces unleashed a volley of missiles on a mock enemy warship in the South China Sea on Wednesday, in a show of military power and a strengthening alliance at a time of rising regional tension.
Philippine&nbsp;President Ferdinand Marcos Jr watched from a four-storey tower as a high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) fired rockets at a decommissioned navy corvette in the waters just a few miles off its western province of Zambales.
It was the first time the annual U.S.-Philippines "Balikatan" exercises featured live fire drills at sea, at a location just a few hours by boat from one of the world's most contested maritime features, the Scarborough Shoal, which China has occupied for more than a decade.
Military from both countries have said the exercises across the&nbsp;Philippines, which include sites facing Taiwan, were not targeted at any country.
This year's war games end on Friday and with 17,000 troops are the biggest edition yet, in a sign of rekindled ties between the defence treaty partners after a period of strain under the previous, anti-U.S. president, Rodrigo Duterte.
"The alliance is alive," said Colonel Michael Logico, a&nbsp;Philippine&nbsp;spokesperson for Balikatan.
Marcos, who was joined by his defence and armed forces chiefs, boarded and inspected a HIMARS cab displayed at the San Antonio naval base before observing the exercise through binoculars and on a TV screen.
He smiled the moment the first missile was fired, leaving a trail of smoke in the sky, part of a coordinated coastal, inland artillery bombardment and airstrike that obliterated the mock enemy target.
"The president came away with a deeper appreciation for joint and combined operations," spokesperson Logico added.
Marcos is due to meet U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in Washington next week and plans to discuss a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty that he feels must evolve in the face of "heating up tensions".
China has criticised the military exercises, which come against the backdrop of what the&nbsp;Philippines calls "aggressive" Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
Beijing has said the U.S.-Philippines alliance must not interfere in sea disputes or harm China's territorial sovereignty and security interests. The&nbsp;Philippines and United States say their activities are for defence purposes only.
"There's nothing provocative about training to defend from a nation's sovereign territory," Major General Joseph Ryan, commanding general of the U.S Army's 25th Infantry Division, told reporters.
"It is every sovereign nation's right to defend their space."
&nbsp;
(Additional reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty)

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