The Manila Times
THE Philippines and the United States reiterated their “ironclad alliance” during a bilateral meeting between US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on the sidelines of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue last Saturday. The two allies marked the 75th anniversary of the Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). Teodoro congratulated Hegseth on his plenary address delivered earlier in the day and underscored the Philippines’ strong support for the US’ commitment to strengthening partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. Teodoro said the Philippines is a witness to the robustness of US partnerships in the region, which contribute to greater resilience and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. Hegseth said the meeting marked the fifth engagement between the two defense leaders, underscoring the depth and consistency of Philippine-US defense cooperation. He commended the success of the Balikatan Exercise last month, noting it as the largest iteration to date. He reaffirmed the US commitment to support the monitoring of the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “The meeting reaffirmed the Philippines and the United States’ shared commitment to deepening defense cooperation in support of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific,” the Department of National Defense said in a statement. Teodoro and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles also met on the sidelines of the IISS SLD to discuss efforts to further strengthen defense cooperation between the two nations. “The meeting focused on advancing bilateral defense collaboration and deepening practical cooperation between the Philippines and Australia in support of shared security interests and regional stability,” the DND said. Teodoro and Marles also exchanged views on enhancing collaboration with like-minded partners, including Japan and the United States, underscoring the importance of sustained cooperation in promoting peace, stability and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
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