US to increase warship visits in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - The United States government will increase its warships' visits in the Philippines as it strengthens its presence in the Asia Pacific region while the world's superpower winds down its presence in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In statement through the US Department of State, Secretary Hillary Clinton said her country renewed and strengthened its alliance with the Philippines and other nations in Asia to establish a hub of regional humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in the region.

"As the war in Iraq winds down and America begins to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, the United States stands at a pivot point… One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment -- diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise -- in the Asia-Pacific region," Clinton said in a statement.

She added: “(We) are increasing the number of ship visits to the Philippines and working to ensure the successful training of Filipino counterterrorism forces through our Joint Special Operations Task Force in Mindanao."

"Our treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand are the fulcrum for our strategic turn to the Asia-Pacific," she said.

She noted that these nations have underwritten regional peace and security for more than half a century, shaping the environment for the region's remarkable economic ascent.

"They leverage our regional presence and enhance our regional leadership at a time of evolving security challenges," she pointed out.

In the next 10 years, she said her nation needs to be smart and systematic on where to invest time and energy, "so that we put ourselves in the best position to sustain our leadership, secure our interests, and advance our values."

"One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment -- diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise -- in the Asia-Pacific region," she emphasized.