Asia Communique
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This is today’s edition of Asia Communique.
Marcos, Hegseth Reaffirm PH–U.S. Alliance Amid Rising Tensions in South China Sea
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed their commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and expanding security cooperation during a high-profile meeting at the Pentagon on July 21. The visit underscores the growing strategic weight of the Philippines-U.S. alliance amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and across the broader Indo-Pacific.
“Our storied alliance has never been stronger or more essential than it is today,” Hegseth said, stressing that the Mutual Defense Treaty covers armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, aircraft, or public vessels — including the Coast Guard — “anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.” a joint statement said.
Marcos, currently on a three-day official visit to Washington, said the alliance plays a crucial role in preserving regional peace.
“I believe that our alliance ... has done a great deal in terms of preserving the peace [and] in terms of preserving the stability of the South China Sea. But I would even go as far as to say in the entire Indo-Pacific region,” Marcos told Hegseth during their bilateral talks.