U.S. Support for the Philippines’ Maritime Capabilities

By Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States aims to enhance the Philippines’ capabilities to operate lawfully in its waters, a senior White House official stated on Wednesday, ahead of a defense and foreign ministers’ meeting between the two nations.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the senior U.S. diplomat for East Asia, welcomed a recent agreement between the Philippines and China intended to improve relations in the South China Sea, emphasizing that successful implementation is critical.

The Philippines, an ally of the U.S., and China, the primary U.S. rival in the Indo-Pacific, have had numerous maritime conflicts over the past year. However, Manila announced this week that both sides have reached a “provisional arrangement” aimed at reducing tensions and managing disputes.

“We’ve welcomed the diplomacy that they’ve conducted,” said Kritenbrink regarding Manila’s efforts. “I think the focus will be on implementation. We’re all watching very carefully.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plan to visit Asia in the coming weeks to reassure allies of U.S. support, especially amid uncertainties surrounding the upcoming U.S. presidential election.

They are scheduled to meet with their Philippine counterparts and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday and Tuesday.

Mira Rapp-Hooper, senior director for East Asia at the White House National Security Council, shared that Washington intends to provide practical support to Manila. “What we are looking to do across the board … is to bolster our Philippine ally’s capabilities and abilities to continue to operate lawfully in its waters and just stand up to the types of challenges that have faced in recent months.”

Ely Ratner, senior Pentagon official for the Indo-Pacific region, mentioned that the U.S. is set to offer unprecedented support for the modernization of the Filipino armed forces.

He indicated that discussions on a security assistance road map would take place and the possibility of expanding discussions regarding four new military locations the U.S. can access under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Ratner hinted at upcoming significant announcements pertaining to U.S. support for the Philippines but provided no specifics. Notably, three of the new EDCA sites are directed toward Taiwan, which China claims, and another is close to the Spratly Islands, a disputed area claimed by China and several other countries, including the Philippines.