Washington provides new military support to Philippines to counter China

WORLD, July 31 (YPA) –  The US continued to support countries competing with China to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Philippines.

“We’re now allocating an additional $500 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region,” Blinken told a joint news conference.

Blinken’s visit, along with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Manila, is part of an Asian tour aimed at strengthening military cooperation with America’s allies in the region.

Blinken stated that “the allocated funding for the Philippines is intended to help modernize the Philippine armed forces and coast guard.”

Blinken and Austin met with President Ferdinand Marcos, where they discussed Chinese activities in the South China Sea.

They also held bilateral talks with their Philippine counterparts Enrique Manalo and Gilberto Teodoro.

@E.Y.M