US defense chief's visit seen to 'reinforce' pacts with Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — The visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to the country aims to strengthen key agreements between Manila and Washington, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said on Tuesday.
In a briefing, Romualdez said that Austin will meet with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his counterpart Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
“It’s really more of getting to know each other… As President Marcos pointed out, it (relationship between the Philippines and the US) is evolving,” Romualdez said.
He added Austin's visit "will reinforce" the military alliance between the two countries, and key pacts such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement.
Under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, the two countries recognize that "an armed attack in the Pacific on either of the parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and [declare] that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes."
Austin’s visit comes amid regional tensions between China and Taiwan, on top of long-standing issues in the South China Sea—including the part of it that Manila calls the West Philippine Sea.
VFA is a 1998 deal that allows Filipino and American troops to conduct joint exercises in Philippine soil. President Rodrigo Duterte restored the pact in 2021 after vowing to terminate the agreement over the cancellation of Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa's US visa
Before his trip to Manila, Austin met his counterpart in Seoul on Tuesday, vowing to beef up joint drills and security cooperation as military tensions on the Korean peninsula intensify.
The US Department of Defense said it aims to "bolster regional alliances and partnerships" to maintain regional stability. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with a report from Kaycee Valmonte
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