Kamala Harris reiterates US commitment to Philippine defense
MANILA, Philippines — United States Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated Washington’s commitment to help defend the Philippines during a phone call with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid tensions in the South China Sea.
Marcos and Harris had a call late Tuesday night, a day after Marcos’ call with outgoing US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Marcos and Harris have met several times prior to this call, including Harris’ visit to Manila in November 2022.
"Indeed, and I will tell you from my first visit to Manila and our first conversation, it is extremely important to me and to the United States that we reaffirm the commitment to the defense of the Philippines including the South China Sea," Harris said, as quoted by the Presidential Communications Office.
The US has been vocal in supporting the Philippines' efforts to uphold maritime law in the West Philippine Sea, frequently criticizing China whenever there is an incursion into Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
Harris also said the US aims to maintain its strong relationship with the country.
"I know there is bipartisan support within the United States Congress and within the US for the strength of this relationship and the enduring nature of it in terms of security, but again prosperity and to your point of people-to-people ties," Harris told Marcos.
A separate statement from the White House noted that Marcos and Harris reviewed the progress of US-Philippine relations under the Biden administration.
“Vice president affirmed the importance of continued defense of international rules and norms in the South China Sea in the face of provocations from the People’s Republic of China and noted the United States must stand with the Philippines in the face of such provocations and the enduring nature of the US defense commitments to the Philippines,” the White House said.
Likewise, Marcos said the Philippines and the US share a relationship across all levels, from economic to defense.
“The progress that we have made is terribly encouraging and we just hope to build on that and continue to work on what we have begun and continue to stand for our shared values and the rule of international law,” he said.
During Marcos’ call with Biden, the latter reassured him that the trilateral relationship between the US, Japan and the Philippines is likely to persist despite the change in administrations.
With US President-elect Donald Trump set to assume office on January 20, questions remain about his stance on the South China Sea territorial dispute.
However, Harris reiterated Biden’s position that the alliance between the Philippines and the US will continue unchanged.
“I echo the president’s (Biden's) conversation with you about the work that you will do with the next administration in terms of reinforcing the importance of that trilateral cooperation and the critical nature of it to maintain security in the South China Sea," she said.
China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea have spanned many years and administrations. Despite condemnation from the international community, Beijing has continued to send ships into Manila’s waters.
The Philippines has filed at least 60 diplomatic protests while maintaining its commitment to resolving the issue peacefully.
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