Austin says US-Philippine alliance will ‘transcend’ administrations

The Philippines will remain an important US ally whoever is in the White House, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday, offering reassurances to Manila as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

Manila and Washington, longstanding treaty allies, have deepened their defence cooperation since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 and began pushing back on Beijing’s claims to the South China Sea.

Austin’s visit to the Philippines this week included a closed-door meeting with Marcos and the signing of an agreement on sharing classified military intelligence.

“The strength of our alliance, I think, will transcend changes of administration going forward,” Austin told a news conference on the western Philippine island of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea.

“I won’t speculate on what the next administration will do, what I can tell you is what I know and what I know is I’ve seen strong support for the Philippines in both parties in the United States,” he said.

“So I believe that this will remain an important country to us for many, many years in the future.”

Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro expressed confidence that the US and Philippine alliance would remain steadfast.

“We have built institutions particularly faster in the last two years with a view towards a robust and ongoing and enduring alliance — enduring here is the operative word since our interest converge in this part of the world,” Teodoro said.

China has brushed aside an international ruling that its claims in the South China Sea have no legal basis, and has deployed navy and coast guard vessels that Manila says harass its vessels and stop them accessing some reefs and islands in the waters.

This has led to violent confrontations that have resulted in injuries to Filipino personnel and damage to their vessels in the past 18 months.

That has sparked concern the United States could be drawn into an armed conflict due to its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines.

Austin said Tuesday that it was in the “best interests” of both Manila and Washington to help the Philippines protect its sovereign interests and fishing rights.

He also reiterated the US commitment to help defend the Philippines in an armed attack — including in areas within the South China Sea — under their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.