US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that the United States will enhance its military partnership with the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against China against its aggressive postures in the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth, who is on a visit to Manila, said, "Together, we'll encourage our other partners and allies in the region to step up their efforts and their cooperation to increase defence capabilities and strengthen deterrence." During a joint press conference with his Philippines counterpart, Gilbert Teodoro, US Defence Secretary asserted that the US will deploy more advanced military assets for joint training, improve interoperability for "high-end operations", and focus on strengthening defence industrial cooperation.
Hegseth termed US-Philippines ties as 'ironclad alliance'
According to CNN, Hegseth emphasised that these efforts highlight the strength of the US-Philippines' "ironclad alliance", especially in response to Communist China's aggression in the region.
Notably, the Philippines has remained at the forefront of China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea as Beijing aims to enforce its claim over most of the sea, despite an international ruling that rejects its sovereignty over the area.
Hegseth expressed the US's readiness to stand alongside its allies and partners as he added that he would "truly prioritise a shift to the Indo-Pacific with the recognition that for the 21st century to be a free century, America needs to stand alongside our allies and partners shoulder to shoulder."
Regarding the US-Philippines partnership, he said, "Together, we'll encourage our other partners and allies in the region to step up their efforts and their cooperation to increase defence capabilities and strengthen deterrence."
US Defence Secretary praises US-Japan relations
Following his Philippines visit, Hegseth is in Japan, where he praised on Saturday the friendship and trust that his country and Japan have developed while attending a memorial service on Iwo Jima to honour those who died in battle during World War II.
His visit comes as Beijing has been showing increasingly assertive actions in the disputed South China Sea and following threats by President Donald Trump to impose trade tariffs on the East Asian country, a key US ally.
(With inputs from agency)
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