US, Philippines Agree to Modernize Bilateral Alliance

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States and the Philippines have agreed to modernize the alliance between the two countries by intensifying high-level joint exercises and other related activity, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo said.

On Tuesday, Manalo and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Carlito Galvez Jr. met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and State Secretary Antony Blinken in Washington at the so-called 2+2 ministerial meeting.

"At today's meeting we have redoubled our commitment to modernizing the Philippine-US alliance, recognizing that our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order," Manalo said at a press conference following the meeting, adding that the modernization would imply intensified joint exercises between the countries, among other things.

The partnership between the US and the Philippines serves as "an instrument of peace" in the Indo-Pacific region and brings about economic benefits to the two states, according to the Philippine official.

Earlier in the week, the countries launched the largest-ever annual joint military drills called Balikatan, taking place in the Philippines, with around 12,200 US soldiers and 5,400 servicemen of the Philippine armed forces participating.

In February, Philippines granted access to four additional military bases to the US, with which Washington reportedly plans to strengthen its line of defense around China. Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement signed by the parties in 2014 , the US is not allowed to have permanent military bases in the Philippines, but the document provides for US troops' extended stays on the Philippine military bases.