Washington announces 'once-in-a-generation' investment for Manila

On July 30, the Philippine Foreign and Defense Ministers and their US counterparts held a 2+2 dialogue in Manila.

From left to right: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro at the 2+2 dialogue in Manila, July 30. (Source: AFP)

AFP news agency quoted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying: "We are now allocating an additional $500 million in military funding to the Philippines to boost security cooperation with our oldest treaty ally in the region."

Mr. Blinken described the assistance package as a “once-in-a-generation investment” to help modernize the Philippine armed forces and coast guard.

This is part of $2 billion in foreign military financing approved by the US Congress in April.

According to Kyodo news agency, before holding security dialogue with Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo and Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro of the Philippines, Mr. Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a courtesy meeting with host country President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace.

During the meeting, Secretary of State Blinken reaffirmed Washington's support for Manila in protecting the Southeast Asian nation's sovereign rights.

The two sides also discussed ways to continue to work closely with like-minded countries such as Australia and Japan to strengthen the rule of law, freedom of the seas and respect for territorial sovereignty.

This is the first round of 2+2 dialogue held in the Philippines. The last dialogue between the two sides was held in April last year in Washington.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/my-philippines-doi-thoai-an-ninh-22-washington-cong-bo-khoan-dau-tu-ngan-nam-co-mot-cho-manila-280692.html