Alliance needed to deter China aggression in WPS – Hegseth

A frame grab from video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard shows its ship, the BRP Bagacay, being hit by a water cannon from Chinese coast guard vessels near the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Also hit on its way to the shoal was the BRP Bankaw of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. —File photo from the Philippine Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines — United States (US) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday highlighted the importance of alliances in deterring conflict in the West Philippine Sea (WPS)

“Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the Communist Chinese and that friends need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there’s free navigation,” Hegseth said during his courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace.

READ: US ‘reestablishing deterrence’ amid Chinese aggression in SCS

“Whether you call it the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea, we recognize that your country has stood very firm in that location and in defense of your nation,” Hegseth added.

Hegseth also reaffirmed the “ironclad” commitment to the Philippines, adding that he would meet with troops for “meaningful military-to-military cooperation.”

READ: US Defense chief to Marcos: US committed to ‘ironclad’ alliance with PH

“He [President Donald Trump] and I both want to express the ironclad commitment we have to the mutual defense treaty and to the partnership, economically, militarily, which our staffs have worked on diligently for weeks and weeks and months,” Hegseth said.

Marcos underscored the Philippine-US friendship, noting that being friendly to the US was “inherent with most Filipinos.”

“We have always understood the principle that the greatest force for peace in this part of the world would be the United States,” Marcos said.