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The United States has pledged $500 million in military aid to the Philippines to enhance its defense capabilities in response to increasing tensions with China in the South China Sea.
What’s the deal: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the $500 million during a press conference. According to both officials, this aid will upgrade the country’s defense capabilities, including modernizing the military and coast guard with advanced weaponry, training, and support. Additionally, some funds will be allocated to the Philippines’ cybersecurity capabilities.
What Blinken said: In a statement, Secretary Blinken said, “We’re now allocating an additional $500 million in Foreign Military Financing to the Philippines to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region – new steps to strengthen the alliance: a once-in-a-generation investment to help modernize the Filipino armed forces and coast guard, our first bilateral Security Sector Assistance Roadmap, doubling our investments in the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.Both of us share concerns – and many other countries in the region share concerns as well – about some of the actions that the People’s Republic of China has taken, escalatory actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and elsewhere.”
What Secretary Austin said: While speaking to reporters, Secretary Austin called the funding ” unprecedented” and said it sends a “clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the US Congress, and the American people.”
How China’s state-controlled media is reacting: In an article posted by the Global Times, they said, ” the US is promoting the Philippines as a proxy against China in the Asia-Pacific region, and tries to make Manila as a wedge to undermine” the region.
Digging Deeper: The United States considers the Philippines a vital ally due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, a key location for the US military to operate out of. In contrast, China views this US-Philippines relationship as threatening its strategic interests.
