Austin Marks Deepening U.S.-Philippine Ties During Visit to Manila

View Online Austin Marks Deepening U.S.-Philippine Ties During Visit to Manila Nov. 18, 2024 | By Joseph Clark Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III arrived in the Philippines today where he continues to build on the momentum built under his tenure in strengthening the long-time U.S.-Philippine alliance.   Throughout the two-day stop during his 12th trip to the Indo-Pacific, the secretary will engage with senior leaders to reaffirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine mutual defense treaty and continue to build upon the foundation of defense cooperation and interoperability between the two nations.  Today, Austin met with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro for a bilateral exchange before attending an official signing ceremony for the newly established General Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA, that provides a legal framework enabling enhanced and expanded sharing of information and defense technology between the two countries.   The agreement, which was reached after two years of highly detailed negotiations, marks a "huge breakthrough in our ability to continue to deepen the detailed cooperation that we have with the Philippines," a defense official said following today's signing ceremony.   The agreement serves as a foundation for further enhancing interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces and paves the way for additional security agreements in the future.  Austin and Teodoro also broke ground on a new combined coordination center at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila to further enable information sharing between U.S. and Philippine forces.  The new center will boost interoperability "for many years to come," Austin said during the groundbreaking.   "It will be a place where our forces can work side by side to respond to regional challenges," he said. "You've heard me say so many times as secretary that we are more than allies. We are family."  Later, Austin met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. at Malacanang Palace in Manila where the secretary further underscored the strong ties between the two countries.  Austin also offered his condolences for all those impacted by the six recent storms that have battered the region in quick succession, including Super Typhoon Pepito that made landfall ahead of his visit.   In response to the devastation, the secretary announced that he has authorized U.S. troops to assist Philippine forces in providing lifesaving aid to the people of the Philippines.   The U.S. has also secured urgent humanitarian aid in addition to the nearly 100,000 pounds of supplies delivered by the U.S. following Typhoon Julian earlier this year.   Before departing the Philippines tomorrow, Austin is scheduled to observe a Philippine Navy tech demonstration showcasing T-12 unmanned surface vessels provided by the U.S. through foreign military financing. The T-12 is a key capability used by Philippine forces to protect its sovereignty and operate throughout its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.  Austin's stop in the Philippines marks his fourth visit to the country since taking office, the most visits ever by a U.S. secretary of defense.  The secretary's leadership has been critical to advancing the U.S.-Philippine relationship to where it is today.   During Austin's tenure, the U.S. and the Philippines added four new rotational sites, for a total of nine, as part of an expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement first signed in 2014. The sites are designed to strengthen combined training, exercises and interoperability between the two countries.  Earlier this year, the U.S. announced $500 million in new military assistance for the Philippines aimed at bolstering its defense and further underscoring the strengthening ties between the two nations.   During their engagement today, Teodoro presented Austin with the Outstanding Achievement Medal in recognition for his leadership in bolstering U.S.-Philippine defense ties and advancing regional peace and security throughout the Indo-Pacific.  Following his visit to the Philippines, Austin will proceed to Laos where he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus.     U.S. defense secretaries have participated in the forum since 2010 when it was established by the 10-member block of Southeast Asian nations.      Austin will meet with a range of regional allies and partners informally during the meeting and reaffirm the United States' commitment to regional security. During this visit, he will announce the first-ever U.S. Defense Department vision statement for a prosperous and secure Southeast Asia.   Austin's final stop is in Fiji, marking the first visit to the country by a U.S. defense secretary.     While there, Austin will meet with Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa.     The secretary is expected to announce that the U.S. and Fiji will begin negotiations on a Status of Forces Agreement that will empower the two countries to work more closely together.

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