Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr and United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the recent harassment of Chinese ships against the Philippine vessels involved in rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.

In a readout, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a phone conversation on Wednesday, Austin reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of US to the Philippines "following the PRC Coast Guard and maritime militia’s dangerous obstruction of a lawful Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal on March 23."

Rayder said Austin "emphasized US support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and reiterated that the US.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to both countries' armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft?including those of its Coast Guard?anywhere in the Pacific, to include the South China Sea."

He said the two defense leaders also "discussed historic momentum in US-Philippine defense ties and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening the US-Philippine alliance, which has upheld peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region for over seventy years."

"They agreed to bolster bilateral and multilateral cooperation with like-minded partners in the South China Sea and committed to accelerate a number of bilateral initiatives to enhance information-sharing, interoperability, and capability enhancements for the Armed Forces of the Philippines," said Rayder.

"They also underscored both countries' shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in transparency, the rule of law, respect for sovereignty, and the peaceful resolution of disputes," he added. Robina Asido/DMS