US defense chief lauds Phl for standing up to China

"I want to applaud the Philippines for their courage and clarity in the South China Sea, and their clear-eyed recognition of the challenges we face. United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday lauded the Philippines for "standing up to China's aggressive actions targeting lawful Philippine activities in the South China Sea."

- BY MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

We stand shoulder to-shoulder in our pursuit of peace and stability in the region," Hegseth told Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

At the meeting, Hegseth also reaffirmed his country's commitment to deepening defense cooperation in support of regional peace, resilience and a rules-based international order.

The US defense chief also emphasized the value of partnership, highlighting recent collaborative efforts, particularly the joint Balikatan exercise in April, the "largest in a long time," with 14,000 troops of both countries involved.

"This speaks to the longstanding and ironclad relationship between our nations under the Mutual Defense Treaty," he said.

The US State Department, in a readout of the meeting between Hegseth and Teodoro, said they discussed steps taken by the two countries together to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.