US-Philippines alliance is ‘ironclad’- Blinken - BBC News

The assurance comes as tensions rise between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea.

5 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, ReutersImage caption, Mr Blinken, here with his Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo, is in Manila at a time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and ChinaBy Tom BatemanTravelling with Antony BlinkenUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken has assured the Philippines, a key Washington ally, of US support amid heightened tensions with China.

He reiterated America's "ironclad" security commitments to the Philippines during a visit to Manila on Tuesday.

Friction has grown between Manila and Beijing in recent months over competing claims in the South China Sea.

"These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy," Mr Blinken said.

"They're also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world," he added, speaking at a joint press conference with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68594365

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