US Defense Secretary Hegseth arrives in PH for talks

U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived in the Philippines on Thursday evening and is set to talk to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials, according to the U.S. Embassy.

Secretary Hegseth is in the country, the embassy posted, "as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries. This visit highlights the importance of the U.S.-Philippine Alliance and our ironclad commitment as #FriendsPartnersAllies dedicated to ensuring a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific."

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Secretary Hegseth's visit is important and critical in strengthening the ties between the two countries, according to the report of JP Soriano in "Saksi."

He added that Hegseth and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will discuss strengthening the Armed Forces of the Philippines and inter-operability, which is the mantra of the Trump administration.

Before Hegseth's visit to the Philippines, China issued a statement on Philippine-US military cooperation.

"On the military cooperation between the Philippines and the U.S., China made clear its position more than once," the China Foreign Ministry said.

"Any defense or security cooperation between the Philippines and other countries should not target any third party or harm their interest... still less threaten regional peace or escalate tensions in the region."

Ambassador Romualdez said, "Hindi naman tayo gumagawa ng conflict. Minsan nagkakamot tayo ng ulo kung bakit tayo pa ang sinisisi tayo ang nag-umpisa ng conflict."

"At ang nagyayari diyan, dahil precisely nga na chinachallenge nga yung ating relationship not only with the US but with other countries as well. That we cannot and will not allow any one country to dominate the South China Sea," he added.