U.S., Philippine Militaries Discussed China's `Assertiveness' at Meeting
U.S. and Philippine military officials discussed the “assertiveness” displayed by China in the South China Sea during a meeting in Manila today.
“It’s going to be a very important topic for all the regional nations to discuss,” U.S. Pacific Commander Admiral Robert Willard said at a press briefing. “It’s of national interest to the United States, so this will undoubtedly remain a topic of conversation for some time to come.”
China’s investment in “power projection capability and in area-denial capability” have become a concern to the U.S. and other countries in the region, Willard said. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last month in Vietnam said resolving territorial disputes off China’s southern coast is “a leading diplomatic priority,” signaling her intention to intercede in a region claimed in full by the Chinese government.
The Philippines is among several countries that have claims in the potentially oil-rich Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese government considers almost the entire sea as its own, and has beefed up its military over the past decade, enhancing the capability to deter U.S. ships and enforce territorial claims off its shores.
The Philippines has “limited capability” in monitoring movements in the area and lawmakers must set aside funds for the modernization of the country’s military, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief Ricardo David said.
The US “very much looks forward to working continually” with the Philippine military to ensure it is “shaped just right to meet the needs of this very complex archipelago that’s located in a very strategic area of the world,” Willard said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Cecilia Yap in Manila at cyap19@bloomberg.net
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