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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DND chief: Defense cooperation 'key pillar' of PH-US ties

DND chief: Defense cooperation 'key pillar' of PH-US ties

Published Sep 30, 2022 11:00 am

The Philippines’ defense and security engagement with the United States continues to be a key pillar of the two countries’ bilateral relations, Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. said.

Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. (right) and US Department of Defense Lloyd Austin III meet in Honolulu, Hawaii on Sept. 29, 2022 (US time) to discuss the two countries' bilateral defense relations. (Photo by DND)

Faustino met with US Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III in Hawaii on Thursday, Sept. 29 (US time), to discuss the defense cooperation of Manila and Washington.

“We appreciate the US government’s willingness to work with the Philippine government as an equal, sovereign partner,” Faustino said in his speech at the Indo-Pacific Command in Honolulu.

Faustino said that the Philippines and US are working together to reach a common understanding of the importance of their defense alliance, “and what it means to recognize each other as equal partners.”

This, he said, will be instrumental in advancing the respective countries’ interests and in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Further, he added that the Philippines and United States’ armed forces will increase their interoperability and information sharing to further enhance the credibility of their alliance.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Defense is apparently keen on building a “network of like-minded nations” in the Indo-Pacific region.

However, it refuted claims by China that there are efforts to build an organization that is patterned after the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the region. NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European states and two North American states.

Aside from the Philippines, the top defense meeting was also participated in by Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.

The meeting of Faustino and Austin comes at the culmination of the planning cycle of the two countries’ bilateral defense activities for 2023.

Faustino said the meeting was a “welcome opportunity” to discuss the “way ahead” for the Philippines and US alliance based on the current priorities of their respective administrations.

Earlier in September, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited New York to attend the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). In one instance, Marcos said that the Philippines has “no territorial conflict with China.”

“What we have is China claiming territory that belongs to the Philippines,” Marcos said in a bold statement, challenging the claims of China in the South China Sea which includes the West Philippine Sea. “This is the position that we take, and with our American partners, we have promoted that position.”

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