The United States is "standing up" for the Philippines and other countries affected by China's actions in the South China Sea, said US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, during his visit to the Philippines.
“China's actions are causing anxiety and raising tensions," Carter said during his visit at the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan.
“In response, countries in the Asia Pacific that are long standing allies and new partners are reaching out to the US to uphold the rules and principles that would allow the region to thrive, and we are answering that call, we are standing with these countries, we are standing up for those rules and principles,” he added.
China and the Philippines are embroiled in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, with Beijing building artificial islands and has recently begun operating a lighthouse on one of the disputed islands.
Carter and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday afternoon visited Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, one of the five agreed locations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the two countries.
The two defense secretaries also observed the Balikatan exercises held in the province, which ended on Friday.
They flew over the vicinity of Recto Bank, one of the disputed territories in the South China Sea, and landed on the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Stennis, where they witnessed flight deck operations.
Secretary Carter thanked his troops and sailors for their active participation in the PH-US Exercise Balikatan and reiterated the significance of their presence in the region.
In his speech, Gazmin highlighted the Philippines' strong relations with the US.
“We are as ever reliant on the strong bond of sympathy and mutual ideals shared by our two peoples, close friends and allies, to fight side-by-side against the threats of external aggression as we did in the past,” he said.
“It is in the spirit of of the ideals of our alliance and close relationship that we welcome the gallant crew of the USS Stennis ... to the clear waters of the West Philippine Sea,” Gazmin added.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/562906/news/world/carter-us-standing-up-for-countries-in-territorial-disputes-with-china
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.