MANILA: The Philippines is assured within the continuity of US insurance policies within the Asia-Pacific area after the US presidential election, its defence chief stated, underlining that Philippine-US ties would stay robust whatever the final result.
Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated the alliance between the 2 international locations is anchored in shared safety objectives and a dedication to uphold worldwide regulation, together with within the contested waters of the South China Sea.
“Our assist for initiatives, bilaterally and multilaterally … is bipartisan, apart from the truth that we’re working collectively on institutional grounds, on foundational grounds,” Teodoro stated in an interview.
Teodoro stated China’s “misbehaviour” within the South China Sea has positioned the Philippines on the forefront of regional safety considerations, sparking a worldwide response.
“Merely put, China has given the Philippines some prominence that in regular phrases, if everyone adopted the principles of the highway, in the event that they did not do dangerous issues, then this prominence of the Philippines wouldn’t be there,” Teodoro stated. “So, it is all China’s fault proper now as a result of there’s a felt have to band collectively due to their misbehaviour that that is occurring.”
China’s defence and overseas ministries and the US Embassy in Manila didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Teodoro’s remarks.
The US presidential election will happen on Nov 5, with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump locked in a close race.
Tensions are excessive within the South China Sea, the place China claims sovereignty over practically the entire waterway, difficult Southeast Asian nations, together with the Philippines, and lately Vietnam and Indonesia.
