Washington reaffirms commitment to Manila

U.S. SECRETARY of Defense Lloyd Austin III and his Filipino counterpart Secretary Defense Delfin Lorenzana recently spoke on the phone and discussed a number of priority of bilateral defense issues for both countries.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Austin affirmed Washington’s commitment to U.S.-Philippine alliance and bilateral Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement, and highlighted the value the accord brings to both countries.

 

“The Secretaries discussed the importance of enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ capabilities and increasing interoperability between our two militaries through a variety of bilateral security cooperation activities.”

 

“The Secretaries also discussed regional security challenges, to include the South China Sea, counterterrorism, and maritime security, and affirmed the importance of upholding international rules and norms, to include the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling,” Kirby said.

 

The Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration issued a unanimous award largely favorable to the Philippines, but Beijing rejected the ruling.

This was confirmed by Lorenzana who said: “We discussed developments on the Philippines-U.S. bilateral defense relations, the Visiting Forces Agreement, Philippine-U.S. Balikatan military exercises, and the situation in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea. Both of us expressed our desire to visit each other as soon as we can safely meet face-to-face. I look forward to sustaining our dialogues to continually strengthen our alliance.”

Austin, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, served 41 years in uniform, retiring as a four-star Army general after three years as commander of U.S. Central Command.

 

Last month, U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Ned Price said Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and they reaffirmed that a strong U.S.-Philippine alliance is vital to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

 

Blinken stressed the importance of the Mutual Defense Treaty for the security of both nations, and its clear application to armed attacks against the Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea.

 

He also underscored that the U.S. rejects China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea to the extent they exceed the maritime zones that China is permitted to claim under international law as reflected in the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention.

 

Blinken pledged to stand with Southeast Asian claimants in the face of the Chinese pressure.  “The two secretaries committed to continue building upon a relationship founded on shared strategic interests and history, democratic values, and strong people-to-people ties,” said Price. (Mindanao Examiner)