New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday met his Philippine counterpart to address China’s “dangerous and destabilising actions” in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad” defence commitment to Manila.
“Secretary Rubio conveyed that (China’s) behaviour undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement on the call with Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo.
The Philippines has been embroiled in wrangles at sea with China in the past two years and the two countries have faced off regularly around disputed features in the South China Sea that fall inside Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
Call After Quad Meeting
Rubio’s call came after he hosted counterparts from Australia, India and Japan in the China-focused “Quad” forum on Tuesday, the day after President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
The four ministers recommitted to working together.
Quad members and the Philippines share concerns about China’s growing power
Analysts said Tuesday’s meeting was designed to signal continuity in the Indo-Pacific and to emphasize that countering Beijing would be a top priority for Trump.
In the call with Manalo, Rubio “underscored the U.S.’s ironclad defence commitments to the Philippines” under their Mutual Defense Treaty and discussed ways to advance security cooperation, expand economic ties and deepen regional cooperation, the statement said.
China Criticises U.S. Interference
China’s foreign ministry said that its activities in the waters were “reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach”.
Speaking at a regular Press conference, ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the United States was “not a party” to the South China Sea dispute, and had “no right to intervene” in maritime issues between China and the Philippines.
“Military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to endorse the illegal claims of the Philippines,” Mao said.
U.S.-Philippines Joint Maritime Drill
Just ahead of Trump’s inauguration, the Philippines and the United States carried out their fifth set of joint maritime exercises in the South China Sea since launching the joint activities in 2023.
Security engagements between the allies have soared under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
He has moved closer to Washington and has allowed the expansion of military bases that American forces can access, including facilities facing the democratically-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
While visiting the Philippines last week, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya had said that a trilateral initiative to boost cooperation launched by Japan, the U.S. and the Philippines at a summit last year would be strengthened when the new U.S. administration takes over in Washington.
(With inputs from Reuters)
