The newly appointed US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, met with the Philippine Foreign Secretary on Wednesday, January 22nd, to discuss the “dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” emphasizing that the US defense commitment to the Philippines remains “ironclad.”
Rubio emphasized that the actions of the CCP are undermining regional peace and stability, contrary to international law.
He stated, “Based on our mutual defense treaty, the United States has made a commitment to the Philippines as solid as a rock.”
In a statement issued by the US State Department, Rubio and the Philippine Foreign Secretary, Enrique Manalo, discussed common concerns, including the CCP’s actions in the South China Sea that pose risks and disrupt stability.
The statement also mentioned that the two foreign ministers exchanged views on advancing security cooperation, expanding economic ties for shared prosperity, and further deepening regional cooperation.
Over the past two years, the Philippines has been embroiled in a sovereignty dispute with the CCP in the South China Sea, with both sides frequently engaging in standoffs in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone waters.
The Philippines has been seeking support from Western countries to counter the increasingly assertive stance of the CCP in the South China Sea. Despite a 2016 arbitral ruling declaring the CCP’s sovereignty claims in the South China Sea invalid, Beijing continues to assert sovereignty over large swathes of the waters.
On Tuesday, Rubio, on the second day of President Trump’s administration, hosted counterparts from Australia, India, and Japan in a “Quad Security Dialogue” with a focus on countering the CCP, reaffirming cooperation among the four nations.
Analysts believe that Tuesday’s teleconference aimed to demonstrate the continuity of the US Indo-Pacific policy and signal that confronting the CCP will be a top priority for the Trump administration.
Before Trump took office, the US and the Philippines conducted their fifth joint maritime exercise since initiating joint activities in the South China Sea in 2023.
During his visit to the Philippines last week, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono mentioned that Japan, the US, and the Philippines launched a trilateral initiative at a summit last year to promote cooperation, which will be further strengthened under the new government.