The US and the Philippines on Monday reaffirmed the importance of regional security in the Taiwan Strait following the 12th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Manila.
Washington and Manila in a joint statement released by the US Department of State emphasized collective defense in deterring aggression anywhere along the first island chain, of which Taiwan is a part.
The two countries “condemned China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities in the South China Sea,” and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Photo: Reuters
“They underscored their support for preserving freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce and other lawful uses of the sea for all nations,” the statement said.
The two sides committed to maintaining a high level of vigilance in the Indo-Pacific region to prevent conflict, and vowed to establish robust measures and deterrent capabilities to ensure unhindered passage through maritime waterways, free from arbitrary control by any single nation.
“Collective defense is critical to denying and deterring aggression anywhere in the first island chain,” the statement said.
Photo: AP
The US and the Philippines also reaffirmed their commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, promising to act jointly in response to armed attacks on either nation’s territory, armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including the South China Sea
The statement said the countries “strongly opposed any threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
The statement also outlined plans to bolster interoperability and conduct more realistic exercises to enhance readiness for contingencies.
The US pledged to push for modernizing the Philippine armed forces and coast guard, and “to increase the deployments of US cutting-edge missiles and unmanned systems to the Philippines.”
Additionally, the US is allocating an additional US$144 million for this fiscal year to support sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, focusing on infrastructure development.
The agreement allows US forces to use Philippine bases for joint training, equipment storage, and the construction of facilities such as runways and fuel depots, although it does not establish permanent US basing.
The US in 2024 installed in the northern Philippines a US mid-range missile system called Typhon and an anti-ship missile launcher last year.
Neither side elaborated on the new planned missile deployments but Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez, who took part in Monday’s talks, said that US and Philippine defense officials discussed the possible deployment this year of “upgraded” types of US missile launchers that the Philippines might eventually decide to purchase.
“It’s a kind of system that’s really very sophisticated and will be deployed here in the hope that, down the road, we will be able to get our own,” Romualdez said.
The US missile deployments to the Philippines did not aim to antagonize any country, he said.
“It’s purely for deterrence,” he said. “Every time the Chinese show any kind of aggression, it only strengthens our resolve to have these types.”
Additional reporting by AP
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