Philippines, US boost alliance for Indo-Pacific deterrence

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and the United States committed to maintaining a vigilant posture in the region and strengthening the alliance to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific as they condemned China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities in the South China Sea.

Senior Philippine and US foreign affairs and defense officials issued a statement after meeting in Manila on Monday for forward planning during the 12th Philippines-US Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD).

This year, deployments of US cutting-edge missile and unmanned systems to the Philippines will increase, according to a joint statement.

Both sides also committed to prioritize utilization of available Foreign Military Financing towards mutually determined priority capabilities to modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and enhance collective defense and deterrence.

The two sides underscored their unwavering commitment to uphold a free, open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific, grounded in mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

“They committed to maintaining a vigilant posture in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict and to developing strong measures along with the deterrence to keep sea lanes open and not subject to arbitrary control by one country,” the joint statement read.

They said “collective defense is critical to denying and deterring aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain,” in condemnation of China’s hostilities in the South China Sea.

The officials reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, the founding document of the alliance.

They also reiterated that the MDT extends to armed attacks against either country’s armed forces, aircraft and public vessels – including those of their coast guards – anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea. — Michael Punongbayan, Evelyn Macairan, Emmanuel Tupas, Andrew Ronquillo, Josiah Antonio