The Philippines will continue to work with the United States and other key partners in the region and the world for its peace, security, and defense needs in the South China Sea amid the challenges posed by China, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Monday, June 2.

During a press conference after his bilateral meeting with High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission (HRVP) Kaja Kallas, the incoming Philippine representative to the United Nations refused to comment on the US’ recent remarks, which some said were provocative, against China’s actions in the region.

“As I said, we wouldn't look at what the US reactions or our talks with the US so far as our own security needs are concerned. We base that on our dialogue with various US officials, high-level officials under the present administration of President Trump, and there's a clear commitment to continuation of the strong ties of the Philippines and the United States,” he said.

“So I think we would take it that the US commitment remains strong in our region and that we are going to work with the US as well as other partners in the region, including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, even Vietnam, and Brunei. And we are also committed to working strongly with our key partners in other regions, especially the European Union and, of course, individual EU member states,” he added.

During the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that China threat on global peace is “imminent” as he called on US allies in Asia to boost their defense capacities.

China has criticized the remark, saying that the US aims to “sow division” and that Hegseth’s speech was filled with “provocations.”

Manalo, for his part, expressed the Philippines’ confidence in the US’ commitment to the Philippine-US Treaty Alliance.

“Naturally, China is a challenge, security challenge for the Philippines, and certainly we have undertaken actions, as you are well aware, of trying to address that through peaceful means, through dialogue and diplomacy,” he added.

Kallas, who was also asked about EU’s response to China’s growing aggression in the Asia-Pacific region, assured that EU remains “a firm believer” in international law, such as the 1982 United Nationsl Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“So, we reject any unilateral changes to the status quo, including the use of coercion. And, of course, we are supporting all the partners who are believers of international law, and we are willing to defend the law as well,” the EU diplomat said.

“Because if you don't defend the law, then the situation is, in the world, in global sphere, much, much different,” she added.