MANILA, Philippines—US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reiterated a commitment by the United States to help the Philippines defend its sovereignty in the South China Sea amid continuing aggression by China.
Austin, the US’ first Black defense chief, spoke with Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a phone call on Wednesday morning (Feb. 10) to discuss “a number of priority of bilateral defense issues,” including the South China Sea, the Pentagon said in a statement.
“Secretary Austin affirmed the US commitment to the US-Philippines alliance and our bilateral Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), highlighting the value the VFA brings…
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