INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Following the 11th Bilateral Strategic Dialogue between the Philippines and the United States, the two nations have committed to expanding their partnership, especially in terms of security alliance and cooperative maritime law enforcement operations.
In a joint statement sent by the US embassy to the media on Thursday, the two nations have pledged to work together to address pressing global and regional challenges in support of a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific region.
The Philippines and the US also reiterated the importance of the security alliance and shared commitments under the Mutual Defense Treaty in an increasingly complex security environment.
“They committed to establishing a new framework for alliance communication and coordination, enhancing operational cooperation and interoperability in the maritime domain, including with likeminded partners, and accelerating capability development,” the joint statement reads.
“In reiterating their shared commitment to a maritime order based on international law, the two sides called upon the People’s Republic of China to comport its maritime claims in the South China Sea with the international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to respect the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction, to comply with the final and binding July 12, 2016 judgment in the Philippines v. China arbitration, and to cease its aggressive and dangerous actions that are inconsistent with its obligations under the Convention, including its unlawful interference with the Philippines’ freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” it adds.
The governments of the Philippines and US likewise called for the safe and immediate return of Filipino seafarers held hostage in the Red Sea.
The joint statement likewise noted that the nations have also agreed the following:
- Convene the 3rd Maritime Dialogue in September or October 2024 in Manila and build upon the outcomes of the countries’ prior dialogues and meetings;
- Explore additional opportunities to strengthen global support for upholding the international law of the sea
- Deepen cooperation to strengthen efforts in addressing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, in line with relevant international law and voluntary guidelines;
- Consider and develop, as appropriate, procedures and protocols on cooperative maritime law enforcement operations, in accordance with international law and our respective national laws
READ: PH-US officials seek more coordination amid South China Sea row