The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday welcomed a joint statement by US President Joe Biden and his Philippine counterpart, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, underlining the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
In the statement issued after their meeting in the White House in Washington, the two leaders underscored “their unwavering commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea” and affirmed the “importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity.”
China’s unprovoked escalation of military threats against Taiwan since last year poses serious challenges to regional security and stability, arousing grave international concern, the ministry said.
Photo: AFP
The statement indicated that safeguarding cross-strait peace and stability is the consensus among countries, as it concerns international interests, it said.
Biden also reiterated US commitment to the Philippines’ security and spoke of the “deep friendship” of the two nations as concerns grow about the Chinese navy’s harassment of Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.
Marcos’ visit to Washington comes after the US and the Philippines last week completed their largest war drills ever and as the two nations’ air forces on Monday held their first joint fighter jet training in the Philippines since 1990.
Manila this year agreed to give the US access to four more bases on the islands as the US looks to deter China’s increasingly aggressive actions toward Taiwan and in the disputed South China Sea.
“We are facing new challenges and I couldn’t think of a better partner to have than you,” Biden told Marcos at the start of their Oval Office meeting. “The United States also remains ironclad in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including in the South China Sea, and we will continue to support the Philippines’ military modernization.”
Marcos said the relationship was essential as Philippines and the Pacific finds itself in “possibly the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world right now.”
Monday’s Oval Office meeting is the latest high-level diplomacy with Pacific leaders by Biden as his administration contends with increased military and economic assertiveness by China and worries about North Korea’s nuclear program. Marcos’ official visit to Washington is the first by a Philippine president in more than 10 years.
Following the meeting, the White House announced the transfer of three C-130 aircraft and two coastal patrol vessels to the Philippines.
The two countries also said they adopted defense guidelines aimed at deepening cooperation and interoperability between the two nations’ militaries across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace.
The Biden administration also said it is launching a new trade mission focused on increasing US investment in the Philippines’ innovation economy, new educational programing and more.
Increased Chinese harassment of vessels in the South China Sea has added another dimension to the visit. On April 23, journalists from The Associated Press and other outlets were aboard the Philippine coast guard’s BRP Malapascua near the Second Thomas Shoal (Renai Shoal, 仁愛暗沙) when a Chinese coast guard ship blocked the Philippine patrol vessel steaming into the disputed shoal.
The Philippines has filed more than 200 diplomatic protests against China since last year, including at least 77 since Marcos took office in June.
US and Taiwanese officials have also been unnerved by recent critical comments by Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian (黃溪連) over the Philippines granting the US military increased access to bases.
Huang at a forum last month reportedly said the Philippines should oppose Taiwan’s independence “if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs” in Taiwan, using the acronym for overseas Filipino workers.
The officials described Huang’s comments as one of many recent provocative actions by the Chinese to put pressure on the Philippines.
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