Philippines Expects No Reduction in U.S. Military Activities Despite Middle East Redeployment

U.S. Marine Corps

Philippine and US Marines during a surface-to-air missile simulation as part of exercise Kamandag joint exercises on 10 October 2019.

The Philippines does not expect a reduction in military activities with its treaty ally, the United States, despite the redeployment of some U.S. defence assets to the Middle East, a military official said on Monday.

The movement of US assets, including the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, from the Pacific to the Middle East has raised questions about Washington’s defence arrangements in the Indo-Pacific, but not about its commitment to the region, said Roy Vincent Trinidad, a military spokesperson.

"We do not foresee any dip or any slowing down in our activities," he told a press briefing.

"The defence commitment between the U.S. and the Philippines is ironclad," Trinidad said.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to participate in actions against Iran.

The Philippines is one of the United States’ closest defence allies in Asia. The two countries are bound by a decades-old mutual defence treaty, as well as agreements covering visiting forces and Washington’s use of various defence facilities and bases across the archipelago.

Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby reiterated Washington’s commitment to the region during a visit to Manila last week, saying the United States was not disengaging from Asia and remained focused on maintaining a favourable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.



PUKMEDIA