Obama: US to train more with Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Military elements of the United States and the Philippines will have more joint exercises in the coming years, American President Barack Obama said.

In his remarks at the University of Queensland on Sunday (Manila time), Obama said that strengthening of the US' alliances with the Philippines, Australia and neighboring countries is part of the "fundamental focus" of his foreign policy.

"With the Philippines, we'll train and exercise more to prepare for challenges from counter-terrorism and piracy to humanitarian crises and disaster relief," Obama said, as quoted in a transcript released by the White House.

His statement came after the alleged killing of a transgender Filipino by an American Marine and petitions filed before the Supreme Court against the recently forged Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the US and the Philippines.

The murder case was believed to have triggered the cancellation of scheduled visits of US Navy vessels to Philippine shores.

Obama said that the exercises with Philippine troops will show the US' increased collaboration with allies in the Asia-Pacific.

"Day in and day out, steadily, deliberately, we will continue to deepen our engagement using every element of American power - diplomacy, military, economic, development, the power of our values and our ideals," he said.

The president also reiterated the US' "ironclad commitment" to the "sovereignty, independence and security" of each of its allies.

The same statements were met with criticisms during Obama's visit to Manila in April as devoid of concrete assurance that the US will come to the Philippines' aid when disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea are attacked by China.

China, meanwhile, has expressed opposition to a leadership of an outsider in the Asia-Pacific. Obama said, however, that the US does not need to claim territory in the region to carry out the strategic rebalance.

"We do this based on our belief that a region that is peaceful and prosperous is good for us and is good for the world," he said.