THE Philippines and the United States yesterday reaffirmed their alliance, saying it is a founda-tion for peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region amid China’s increasing asser-tiveness in the South China Sea.
In a meeting in Washington, D.C., Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the challenges posed by China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea.
“Building on our previous discussions, I met Secretary Rubio again here in Washington to affirm our commitment to the PH-US alliance,” Manalo said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, after meeting Rubio.
He said he and Rubio also discussed how to further enhance economic cooperation between Manila and Washington to “complement the defense and security ties” between the two coun-tries.
Manalo, who is on a working visit to the US, was accompanied by Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez during his meeting with the US top diplomat.
Rubio said they reaffirmed their firm stance and commitment to international law and to ensur-ing freedom of navigation in the region.
“The US-Philippines alliance is vital for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Manalo and I addressed China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and found new opportunities for economic cooperation,” Rubio said in a post on his social me-dia account, with a photo showing the meeting.
The reaffirmation of the alliance came as China has escalated its aggressive stance in the South China Sea, blocking and harassing Filipino vessels on patrol and resupply missions to troops in the area.
China also refused to adhere or honor the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration junking its sweeping claims in the South China Sea to include the parts within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone that it called the West Philippine Sea.
Manila and Washington have an existing Mutual Defense Treaty and the latter has repeatedly said it would come to the aid of its ally if its troops, ships, or aircraft are attacked, including in the South China Sea.
Washington also reiterated its commitment when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Ma-nila recently.
