Defense Secretary Austin Says Philippines Will Remain An Important Country For The United States

JAKARTA - United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday the US alliance with the Philippines would surpass changes in government, as he reaffirmed his support for the Southeast Asian nation.

"The Philippines will remain an important country for the United States for years," Defense Secretary Austin told a news conference during a visit to Philippine military Western Command on Palawan Island next to the South China Sea.

Both Defense Secretary Austin and Filipino partner Gilberto Teodoro expressed concern over China's behavior in the South China Sea, with the Pentagon chief reaffirming Washington's defense commitment to the Philippines under the 1951 Joint Defense Treaty.

Defense Secretary Austin said the agreement would also include armed attacks in the South China Sea, where he said China had used malicious and escalative measures to try to confirm its expansive claims.

Yesterday, Defense Minister Austin and Defense Minister Teodoro signed a mutual intelligence agreement between the two countries.

The signing was carried out at Manila's military headquarters, as well as inaugurating the construction of a coordination center that would facilitate collaboration between their armed forces.

Called the General Security Treaty of Military Information or GSOMIA, the pact allows the two countries to securely share classified military information.

After that, Secretary of Defense Austin met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

"I am honored to meet President Marcos today for the third time this year. I reiterate our strong commitment to defending the Philippines. Our alliance is getting closer under his leadership," he tweeted.

It is known that the Philippines and China have been involved in repeated clashes in recent years over disputed features within Manila's exclusive economic zone, sparking regional concerns about miscalculation and escalation at sea.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, an annual trade route worth more than $3 trillion, which has left it at odds with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.