Philippine defense secretary doesn't expect Trump will demand payment for protection

Date:

Share post:


MELBOURNE, Australia — Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said Tuesday that he didn’t expect President-elect Donald Trump’s next administration would demand that the Philippines pay more for military protection because both allies faced the shared threat of China.

Teodoro was speaking at a news conference with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles following an inaugural bilateral annual meeting aimed at improving security ties.

Asked if Trump would expect the Philippines, like Taiwan, to pay for U.S. protection, Teodoro replied: “I really don’t expect some sort of a statement from Mr. Trump, hopefully not.”

“I really don’t have any preconditions or any assumptions as to what will be the outcome of this administration, except on what we are working on — on institutional ties,” he said.

“We have an interest, both the United States and the Philippines, in ensuring that our partnership continues because — not totally, but principally — … of shared threats. And that is undoubtedly the overreach and the aggressive and illegal activities of China,” he added.

Marles said that Australia had been confident that regardless of the U.S. presidential election outcome, Australia’s alliance with Washington would remain in “good shape.”

“What we see in the election of President Trump and in the formation of his administration, is an administration which will maintain America’s role of leadership in the world, which is really important in terms of maintaining the global rules-based order, which is very much in Australia’s national interest,” Marles said.

Last week, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two laws reaffirming the extent of his country’s maritime territories and right to resources, including in the South China Sea, angering China, which claims the hotly disputed waterway almost in its entirety.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned the Philippine ambassador to China to lodge a “stern protest.” The ministry condemned the move as an attempt to “solidify the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration case through domestic legislation.”

Confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in the disputed sea passage have spiked alarmingly since last year. That has sparked fears that the United States — Manila’s longtime treaty ally — may get drawn in a major conflict.

The laws, called the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, were signed by Marcos in a nationally televised ceremony attended by top military and national security officials. They further cement Manila’s rejection of China’s claims to virtually the entire sea passage, and stipulate jail terms and stiff fines for violators.



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

Kenya cancels airport and energy deals with Adani group after the U.S. indicts the tycoon

NAIROBI, Kenya -- Kenya’s president said Thursday he has cancelled multimillion-dollar airport expansion and energy deals with...

North Korea and Russia agree to expand their economic cooperation

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korea and Russia reached a new agreement for expanding economic cooperation following...

Stock market today: Asian shares mostly slip despite Nvidia's solid earnings report

TOKYO -- Asian shares were mostly lower on Thursday after a mixed close on Wall Street, with...

Feds outline 'necessary steps' for Colorado River agreement by 2026 but no recommendation yet

LAS VEGAS -- Federal water officials made public on Wednesday what they called “necessary steps” for seven...

A social media ban for children younger than 16 is introduced in Australia's Parliament

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia’s communications minister introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban...

As US ramps up nuclear power, fuel supplier plans to enrich more uranium domestically

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. -- A supplier of fuel for nuclear power plants announced a $60 million expansion...

How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 11/20/2024

U.S. stocks drifted to a mixed finish, though the modest moves for indexes masked some thrashing underneath...

Workers at Kentucky electric vehicle battery production complex look to unionize

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Workers hired for a sprawling electric vehicle battery production complex in Kentucky have launched...