US, Philippines to strengthen defence ties to 'reinforce deterrence' against China in Indo-Pacific

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that the United States will enhance its military partnership with the Philippines to strengthen deterrence against China against its aggressive postures in the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth, who is on a visit to Manila, said, "Together, we'll encourage our other partners and allies in the region to step up their efforts and their cooperation to increase defence capabilities and strengthen deterrence." During a joint press conference with his Philippines counterpart, Gilbert Teodoro, US Defence Secretary asserted that the US will deploy more advanced military assets for joint training, improve interoperability for "high-end operations", and focus on strengthening defence industrial cooperation.

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