Blinken to meet DFA, defense chiefs to strengthen Philippine-US ties | ABS-CBN
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Blinken to meet DFA, defense chiefs to strengthen Philippine-US ties
Blinken to meet DFA, defense chiefs to strengthen Philippine-US ties
ABS-CBN News
Published Jul 23, 2024 08:20 AM PHT
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. @SecBlinken/X
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo. @SecBlinken/XUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are set to meet their Philippine counterparts next week to strengthen PH-US ties, with territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea likely to be high on the agenda.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are set to meet their Philippine counterparts next week to strengthen PH-US ties, with territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea likely to be high on the agenda.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro will “reaffirm our nations’ shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and support for international law.”
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro will “reaffirm our nations’ shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region and support for international law.”
“They will discuss ways to deepen coordination on shared challenges, including in the South China Sea, and advance our bilateral economic agenda,” he added.
“They will discuss ways to deepen coordination on shared challenges, including in the South China Sea, and advance our bilateral economic agenda,” he added.
The meeting comes after the Philippines and China agreed on Sunday to a "provisional arrangement" for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, a flash point of violent clashes between Beijing and Manila in recent months.
The meeting comes after the Philippines and China agreed on Sunday to a "provisional arrangement" for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, a flash point of violent clashes between Beijing and Manila in recent months.
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Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the United States welcomed the announcement of the deal.
Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the United States welcomed the announcement of the deal.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars worth of trade passes annually.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars worth of trade passes annually.
Blinken will also meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
Blinken will also meet Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.
10-DAY TRIP
Blinken’s 10-day trip will see him visit Vietnam, Laos, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Mongolia to bolster the US’ regional stance against an increasingly assertive China.
Blinken’s 10-day trip will see him visit Vietnam, Laos, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Mongolia to bolster the US’ regional stance against an increasingly assertive China.
"We're deepening our bilateral relationships, we're expanding our allied and partner relationships, which have reached unprecedented heights, and we are creating a latticework of mutually reinforcing partnerships together," Kritenbrink said.
"We're deepening our bilateral relationships, we're expanding our allied and partner relationships, which have reached unprecedented heights, and we are creating a latticework of mutually reinforcing partnerships together," Kritenbrink said.
The United States has in recent years significantly increased its engagement with several countries in Southeast Asia, particularly those locked in territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.
The United States has in recent years significantly increased its engagement with several countries in Southeast Asia, particularly those locked in territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.
Blinken's tour will include his participation in an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meeting in Laos, where he will also meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines.
Blinken's tour will include his participation in an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meeting in Laos, where he will also meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines.
President Joe Biden has made expanding US alliances in the region a core part of his administration's foreign policy, and Kritenbrink said there was "strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for our allies and partners and our approach to the region."
President Joe Biden has made expanding US alliances in the region a core part of his administration's foreign policy, and Kritenbrink said there was "strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for our allies and partners and our approach to the region."
Under Biden, Washington has doubled down on its engagement in what it terms the "Indo-Pacific" region, upgrading ties with several countries in the region and forming the so-called "Quad" alliance, which includes the United States, Japan, Australia and India.
Under Biden, Washington has doubled down on its engagement in what it terms the "Indo-Pacific" region, upgrading ties with several countries in the region and forming the so-called "Quad" alliance, which includes the United States, Japan, Australia and India.
Blinken's visit to Asia will be his 18th to the region since he took office more than three years ago.
Blinken's visit to Asia will be his 18th to the region since he took office more than three years ago.
"The message that the Secretary is going to be conveying to the region is that America is all in on the Indo-Pacific," said Kritenbrink.
"The message that the Secretary is going to be conveying to the region is that America is all in on the Indo-Pacific," said Kritenbrink.
ASEAN MEETING
Blinken will begin his six-nation tour in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, where he will attend the funeral of late communist leader Nguyen Phu Trong which is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Blinken will begin his six-nation tour in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, where he will attend the funeral of late communist leader Nguyen Phu Trong which is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
Trong died last week at a military hospital in Hanoi "due to old age and serious illness" at the age of 80.
Trong died last week at a military hospital in Hanoi "due to old age and serious illness" at the age of 80.
In Laos, the US Secretary of State will participate on Friday and Saturday in the ASEAN ministerial meeting, where he will also meet Foreign Minister Wang.
In Laos, the US Secretary of State will participate on Friday and Saturday in the ASEAN ministerial meeting, where he will also meet Foreign Minister Wang.
Neither the United States nor China has confirmed whether the meeting will be a full bilateral sit-down or a less formal exchange.
Neither the United States nor China has confirmed whether the meeting will be a full bilateral sit-down or a less formal exchange.
Blinken will then head to Japan for a meeting of the "Quad" foreign ministers.
Blinken will then head to Japan for a meeting of the "Quad" foreign ministers.
He will be accompanied in Tokyo by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, with meetings to focus on defense deterrence, according to Kritenbrink and the Japanese foreign ministry.
He will be accompanied in Tokyo by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, with meetings to focus on defense deterrence, according to Kritenbrink and the Japanese foreign ministry.
After a visit to Manila and a stopover in Singapore focused on strengthening bilateral relations, Blinken will end his Asian tour in Mongolia, aiming to strengthen "people-to-people" ties, according to Kritenbrink.
After a visit to Manila and a stopover in Singapore focused on strengthening bilateral relations, Blinken will end his Asian tour in Mongolia, aiming to strengthen "people-to-people" ties, according to Kritenbrink.
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