The US today announced additional military funding for the Philippines of 500 million dollars to support efforts to strengthen the country's defense against the backdrop of growing tensions in the disputed South China Sea, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the additional funding after the fourth meeting of the "two plus two" with his Filipino colleagues, which was held for the first time in Manila.
"We are now providing an additional $500 million in our military funding to the Philippines to boost security cooperation with our oldest treaty ally in that region,” Blinken said at a media briefing.
"This is to support the modernization of the Philippine Forces and the Coast Guard as they shift to a defense focus,” he added.
Austin noted that "this level of funding is unprecedented.” "It sends a clear message of support for the Philippines by the Biden-Harris administration, the US Congress and the American people,” he said.
Blinken said the two countries and other countries in the region share concerns about China's "escalating actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and elsewhere,” and welcomed the agreement between Manila and Beijing to avoid confrontations during regular trips to supply supplies to Philippine troops stationed on the disputed Second Thomas Atoll.