Philippines-US alliance seen as cornerstone of peace in Asia-Pacific

WASHINGTON – The Asia-Pacific is the “single most consequential region” for America’s future, and the United States is actively working to further strengthen its ties in the region, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said.

He described the Philippine-US defense alliance as a cornerstone of peace and stability in the region for more than 65 years. “As President (Barack) Obama has made clear, our commitment to the Philippines is ironclad,” he said.

Speaking in New York on Friday at the think tank Council on Foreign Relations, Carter said the US has supported peace, security and development in the Asia-Pacific and developed strong alliances and partnerships throughout the region.

“These relationships – nurtured over decades, tested in crisis and built on shared interests, values and sacrifice – form the bedrock of our role in the Asia-Pacific, and accordingly, its stability and prosperity,” he said.

However, China’s actions in the South China Sea are raising regional tensions, prompting many countries to reach out anew to the US to uphold the rules and principles that have allowed the region to thrive, Carter said.

“Almost all the nations there are asking us to do more with them...bilaterally and multilaterally,” Carter said, adding China’s actions “stand out in size and scope.”

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday that territorial disputes should not be discussed at the G7 Summit in Japan next month.

Asked to comment on the Chinese statement, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner in Washington said, “What we want to see happen in the South China Sea is important, so I would suggest that those topics should be on the table.”