Philippines, US pledge deeper ties on West Philippine Sea issues

MANILA, Philippines — With China’s continuous “destabilizing” behavior in the South China Sea, the Philippines and the United States – through their top diplomats – have again pledged to further deepen defense and trade relations.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the pledge at their meeting in Washington on Monday.

During their meeting, the two officials “committed to deepening cooperation on addressing China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and to increasing economic cooperation to mutually benefit American and Philippine citizens,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

She said the two leaders also vowed to explore new opportunities for cooperation with regional allies and partners, including trilaterally with Japan through the Luzon Economic Corridor.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Manalo and Rubio discussed the importance of continued defense and security cooperation, including support for the Philippines’ defense modernization efforts.

They cited recent positive developments, including the Joint Vision Statement of the Philippine and US Defense Secretaries on building defense industrial cooperation, US military sales to the Philippines and the latest Balikatan Exercises.

The two officials also expressed confidence in a positive conclusion of high-level talks between Philippine and US economic managers on reciprocal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

The US and many other countries have been very vocal about their support for the Philippines amid China’s expansive maritime claims, invalidated in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague.

After Manalo’s and Rubio’s meeting in Washington, the Philippine Navy revealed yesterday its plan to acquire a Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System anti-ship weapon from the US.

“The acquisition of long-range missile systems or rocket systems is one of the capabilities that we intend to have,” Philippine Navy spokesman Capt. John Percie Alcos said yesterday.