U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to its defense treaty with the Philippines on Friday, pledging to provide advanced military capabilities to bolster deterrence against threats, including what he described as Chinese “aggression.”
During meetings with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hegseth emphasized the strong and ongoing security cooperation between the two nations. As tensions with China rise, both sides underscored their shared commitment to maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea, where Manila has repeatedly accused Beijing of hostile actions.
“Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese,” Hegseth stated. He also stressed that the United States was not seeking war and described President Donald Trump as a leader focused on peace.
In response, China dismissed concerns over freedom of navigation and airspace in the South China Sea, urging the United States to cease “instigating ideological confrontation” and “sowing discord” in the region.
Hegseth’s visit to the Philippines marks the first stop in his Asia tour. He announced that the United States would send additional advanced military assets to the Philippines, including the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and unmanned surface vehicles, which he described as “highly capable.” The two nations also agreed to conduct joint special forces training exercises on Batanes, the Philippines’ northernmost islands, which are strategically located near Taiwan.
The United States does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but it remains the island’s most significant military supporter, bound by the Taiwan Relations Act. This law requires the U.S. to provide Taiwan with weapons for self-defense but does not explicitly state whether Washington must intervene militarily if Taiwan is attacked—a policy known as strategic ambiguity.
When asked whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack, Rubio stated in an interview with Herridge earlier this March: “We don’t want to see a conflict. But we have made very clear through years and years of our policies – the Six Assurances, the Taiwan Relations Act – that we are against any sort of change in status by force or by threat or by coercion, and that remains our policy.”
