By APD writerMelo M. Acuña

U. S. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana met Tuesday afternoon at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City and discussed a broad range of share security interests and priorities.

In their joint statement, the two officials acknowledged the “enduring” Philippines-United States Alliance, built on a strong foundation of shared values, sacrifices, and history and further reinforced by common interests and people-to-people ties.

They vowed to expand cooperation and strengthen the bilateral alliance, “a 70-year partnership” that ensures both countries’ mutual security and contributes to the peace, stability and economic opportunity all over the region.

They cited Secretary of State Michael Richard Pompeo’s reaffirmation of the U. S. commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty during his March 2019 visit to Manila, Messrs. Esper and Lorenzana reiterated the Mutual Defense Treaty’s applicability to the entire Pacific region, including the South China Sea (SCS). They discussed proposals to support the United States’ efforts to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines, improve maritime security capabilities and domain awareness, and provide rapid humanitarian assistance.

They likewise ratified their shared commitment to further deepen and expand defense cooperation by reinforcing respective national defense capabilities and interoperability, enhancing joint military exercises, disaster response initiatives, and cybersecurity awareness, and improving defense infrastructure through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

They also committed to focus on developing capabilities and enhancing cooperation in both the maritime and aerial domains through the conduct of Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Board Security Engagement Board activities that address both traditional and non-traditional security challenges. They vowed to explore ways to further increase the robust defense cooperation through the improvement of the defense infrastructure and updating personnel and logistics procedures, adapting counterterrorism cooperation to growing threats and increasing operational communication and coordination. They underscored the importance of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

They likewise declared the commitment of both nations to counter terrorism and violent extremism. The United States and the Philippines will build upon the existing foundation through the improvement of information sharing and enhancing cooperation to prevent terrorist attacks and the transit of foreign terrorist fighters in and through the Philippines.

Both Defense officials reiterated their commitment to uphold the freedom of navigation, overflight, other lawful uses of the sea in the South China Sea and stressed the importance of peacefully resolving disputes according to international law as refle3cted in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Philippines noted that, as an ASEAN member, it has a crucial role in ensuring these principles are enshrined in an eventual Code of Conduct for South China Sea claimant states.

The United States acknowledged the importance of the unified vision and strategy enshrined in the member-adopted “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” and recognized ASEAN centrality as integral to its Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Both sides further committed to deepening their engagement with partners throughout the region based on inclusiveness, openness, rule of law, good governance and respect for international law.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)