From the Business Mirror (Nov 8, 2019): US official: military aid to PHL still priority
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Washington is increasing its defense aid to the country despite the Duterte administration’s apparent move to keep some distance from a tight American military embrace, as the security alliance between the Philippines and United States remains “stronger and robust.”
Despite previous diplomatic irritants, Filipino and American diplomats said the relationship is steadfast, having been nurtured through the 70-year-old treaty alliance, and anchored on a shared history and adherence to common values, such as rule of law and democracy.
“Our current relationship with this country is probably one of the best,” Philippine Ambassador to Wanshington, Jose Manuel Romualdez, told Filipino journalists on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
While President Duterte sought friendly ties with China, asking help to find its various infrastructure projects, the Asian giant continues to pursue its expansionist agenda in a huge part of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The Duterte administration has said it will not abandon the UN arbitral tribunal’s favorable ruling that struck down China’s “excessive” claims in the WPS, despite Beijing’s refusal to recognize the 2016 decision.
In recent years, China has asserted what it views as its territorial rights by reclaiming reefs and militarizing some of them. Its fishing fleets have used those assertions to move into areas claimed by other countries, including the Philippines.
Still, Romualdez said the US sees the Philippines as a key regional partner by conducting increased joint military exercises even as the Duterte administration has increased engagement with nontraditional allies like China and Russia.
Duterte had declared early in his administration an independent foreign policy and previously said he wants to scale down the US military presence in the country.
However, following Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Manila in April, Philippine-US cooperation has intensified and a series of joint naval drills followed, sparking Chinese concern.
Pompeo said then his government would come to the Philippines’s aid if it comes under attack by a foreign power in the disputed South China Sea, as he pledged a revitalized commitment to honor a 68-year-old defense treaty that binds America to defend its Asian ally from aggression.
“The relationship is better in my view because we can now express ourselves more freely and we try to explain to them that while we value our relationship with them, we also would like to expand our relationship with other countries,” Romualdez said. “Washington is beginning to see that we are also trying to be on our own.”
Largest recipient
Mark Clark, director for Office of Maritime Southeast Asia at the State Department, said the Philippines is by far the largest recipient of defense aid in the region, providing support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’s modernization program.
Since 2016, Clark said Washington has provided the Philippines almost $550 million in defense assistance, a move that demonstrates the US’s commitment to its alliance with Manila. It is the largest aid recently provided by the US to the Philippines.
“We’ve provided significant military equipment through transfer and direct sales,” Clark said, citing “robust and growing” ties with the Philippines..
Minister Rosanna Villamor-Voogel of the Philippine Embassy in Washington said the increase in American defense assistance “is indicative of the continued interest of the US government to find ways and means to help and complement the priority of President Duterte.”
Since fiscal year 2016, the Philippines has received $554.55 million in defense assistance from the US Department of State and Department of Defense, Villamor-Voogel said.
Of this amount, $267.75 million came from foreign military financing, $73 million in fiscal year 2018 assistance, another $278.8 million in US Department of Defense Security Assistance and over $8 million in international military education and training funds. “As you know more than us—because you hear it everyday—the priority of our current government is really to ensure that defense modernization continues and in a way make up for lost time,” she said.
“And we are happy to continue to partner with the US to ensure that our friends in the Philippines receive the much-needed capability in all arms services to the extent possible.”
On the other hand, Clark said “Our nations have a bright future together. We remain dedicated to working with the Philippine government and the Filipino people to advance our shared goals of security and prosperity.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.