MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Washington’s top diplomat and defense secretary announced a new $500 million military budget on Tuesday to bolster the Philippines’ foreign defense and progress on a proposed military intelligence-sharing pact as both countries renew concerns about China’s continuing aggressive behavior in the region.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been shoring up Manila and Washington’s decades-old treaty alliance amid escalating hostilities between the Philippine and Chinese militaries since last year over a territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
Marcos praised the “very open” lines of communication between Washington and Manila, adding that the two countries’ treaty alliance, the South China Sea and key issues in the Indo-Pacific region are “continuously reviewed and reexamined, and we are agile in our responses.”
Marcos stressed that the presence of U.S. troops is necessary for stability and peace in Asia.
Later, meeting with Philippine leaders, Defense Secretaries Blinken and Austin announced $500 million in military funding to help modernize the Philippine military and coast guard and strengthen security cooperation amid shared concerns about Chinese assertive behavior.
“Our two countries share concerns, and many other countries in the region share concerns, about the actions that China has taken in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and elsewhere, including escalatory actions and coercive measures,” Blinken said at a joint press conference.
He and Austin reiterated the United States would support the defense of the Philippines if Philippine troops, ships or aircraft came under attack in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.
“Every peso and dollar spent to strengthen the Philippines’ ability to defend itself and thwart unlawful aggression will be a positive against any threat actor, whether China or any other nation,” Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said.
The visit comes a week after a trip to the Philippines in which tentative arrangements were reached to prevent clashes like the violent June 17 clash between the two sides’ forces near the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal.
The Philippine military reportedly delivered food and other supplies as well as new naval personnel to a Manila-held base in shallow waters on Saturday without any confrontations, the first time since last year.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said the United States, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and Singapore welcomed the deal to ease tensions.
But the Philippines will continue to bolster its territorial defense with the support of the United States and other friendly military powers and build new security alliances, said Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez.
“Non-confrontational resupply and rotation is entirely temporary. The People’s Republic of China will not stop, and neither will we,” Romualdez told The Associated Press.
The $500 million U.S. military aid also includes funding to strengthen the capabilities of the Philippine Navy. Romualdez said about $125 million will go toward construction and other improvements at parts of Philippine military bases occupied by U.S. forces under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
Romualdez said that with strong support from Congress, the U.S. military budget could double next year “depending on our ability to absorb it.”
Negotiations for a proposed military intelligence-sharing pact, the General Security of Military Information Agreement, are progressing, Defense Secretary Austin announced, saying the agreement could be concluded later this year.
The deal, similar to those the U.S. has struck with other allies, would see the U.S. provide the Philippines access to advanced intelligence, more advanced weaponry including missile systems and satellite and drone surveillance systems, with details of such intelligence and advanced weapons kept closely secret with high security to prevent leaks, two Philippine officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The Philippines has previously sought to acquire advanced weaponry from the U.S. military but has been hampered by the lack of such an intelligence exchange.
During his meeting with Secretaries of State Blinken and Austin, President Marcos noted the sharp political divisions in the United States ahead of this year’s presidential election.
“I’m a little surprised, given how interesting the political situation is in the United States, but I’m glad that you found the time to come and see us,” Marcos said.
Meanwhile, Blinken said U.S. support for the Philippines will remain unchanged regardless of who the next president is. Many countries have expressed concern about the impact of former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House after President Joe Biden withdrew from the White House in January and handed his support to Vice President Kamala Harris.
“That doesn’t change regardless of the election,” Blinken said. “That commitment will continue regardless of the administration, and this is a long and powerful story in our history.”
Last year, President Marcos approved the expansion of U.S. forces to four military bases in the Philippines under a 2014 defense agreement and the largest military exercise between the Philippine and U.S. forces under his administration, drawing opposition and alarm from China, which says the expanded U.S. presence poses a risk to regional peace and security.
The Philippines countered that it has the right to act to defend its territorial interests and national security.
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Lee reported from Singapore. Associated Press writers Joel Karpitan in Manila and Haruka Nuga in Bangkok contributed to this report.
