MANILA, Philippines — United States Ambassador to Manila Lee Lipton said the recent visit of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth underscored the "genuine importance" the US places on Southeast Asia and on its "extraordinary alliance" with the Philippines.
Hegseth attended the 13th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Cebu on October 29.
"Our commitment to Philippine security is ironclad," Lipton said on Monday, adding that Washington and Manila pursue a shared vision for a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
"As we mark 75 years of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, our message is clear: our alliance is stronger than ever," the ambassador said.
"We stand firmly with the Filipino people in defending sovereignty, protecting territorial integrity, and upholding the freedom of navigation on which we all rely for vibrant global commerce," Lipton stressed.
"With President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the United States and the Philippines have built a powerful partnership grounded in shared principles, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to regional stability," Lipton said.
"That partnership is demonstrated every year through hundreds of joint exercises and training events, hundreds of millions of dollars in US security assistance, expanded maritime cooperative activities, disaster response support, public health assistance, and frequent engagements between our senior defense and security leaders. We’re in this for the long-term," he said.
