US Defense Secretary Pete Hegesis emphasized the need for the United States and the Philippines to cooperate together on issues related to China.
According to Al Jazeera, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegesis met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on March 28 and emphasized the importance of forming a united front between the United States and the Philippines against China.
Hegesis's visit to Manila marks the beginning of his tour of Asia-Pacific allies, aimed at strengthening the US alliance in the region to counter escalating tensions with China over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea.
Philippine President Marcos welcomed the US Defense Secretary's visit, stressing that it is a strong signal of the alliance between the two countries. This visit comes after the recent confrontation between Philippine and Chinese ships. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has criticized China's sovereignty claims in the region.