Trump’s” America First” foreign policy philosophy has raised questions about the scope and breadth of US devotion to the area under his new administration.
Regarding Hegseth’s upcoming visit, Rodriguez said,” It’s a powerful message to China on good diplomatic relationships” between the US and the Philippines.
China is essentially the owner of the whole South China Sea, a significant security and international trade route. The resource-rich and active waters are also home to the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, but conflicts have notably risen between the Chinese and Asian coast guard and marine troops in the last two decades.
Hegseth “reaffirmed his iron US commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and its value for maintaining a stable and profitable Indo-Pacific in his first telephone conversation with Teodoro last month,” according to a display provided by Pentagon director John Ullyot following the Feb. 5 contact.
The officials discussed the need to work with allies and partners to reestablish punishment in the South China Sea, according to Ullyot.
They even discussed expanding the Armed Forces of the Philippines ‘ capabilities.
Prior to the previous Biden administration’s repeated warnings that the US is obligated to assist the Philippines in protecting the Philippines under the agreement if Filipino troops, ships, and aircraft are attacked by armed forces in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, following significant regional clashes between Chinese and Spanish forces in the contested waters.