Sec. Antony Blinken & Sec. Lloyd Austin Hold Press Conference With Officials In Manila, Philippines

3 months ago

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken & Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin held a press conference with officials in the Philippines.

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Transcript

00:00members of the DFA Press Corps and media accompanying the U.S. delegation and

00:06welcome to the fourth Philippine-U.S. 2 plus 2 Ministerial Dialogue joint press

00:13conference. We will first hear from Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique

00:19Manalo and then Secretary of Defense Gilberto Tudor Jr. after which we will

00:26request Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and then Secretary of Defense

00:31Lloyd Austin III to deliver their remarks after which we will have the Q&A.

00:38Secretary Manalo please. Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen I wish to

00:48begin by thanking Secretary Teodoro for hosting the fourth Philippine-U.S. 2 plus

00:542 Ministerial Dialogue here in Camp Aguinaldo and we're very pleased to

00:59welcome Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin back to Manila. The alliance of

01:05our two countries is historic shaped by our adherence to democracy, social

01:10justice, and the rule of law. For over seven decades we have demonstrated its

01:15dynamism as we jointly respond to common challenges. Our cooperation has

01:21contributed in the preservation to the preservation of peace and security and

01:25brought about opportunities for our mutual growth and prosperity. The

01:30Philippines values the United States ironclad commitment to the alliance and

01:34remains steadfast to the positive trajectory of our bilateral relations

01:39over a range of initiatives. From the launch of the Luzon Economic Corridor

01:44and the conduct of Balikatan exercises both in April 2024, our alliance is

01:51robust, multifaceted, and serves the greater regional interests. There are

01:57just two of these are just two of the significant headways we have accomplished

02:01in the last 24 months that deliver on our alliance commitments in the broadest

02:06sense and there is more work to be done and we will continue to forge ahead. Our

02:12meeting today provided us an opportunity to assess progress on our

02:16bilateral cooperation since the last 2 plus 2 dialogue in Washington DC. We had

02:22very productive discussions in areas such as trade and economic cooperation,

02:26infrastructure, and security cooperation. The alliance is broad-based and supports

02:32efforts towards the achievement of Philippine development goals. We will be

02:37issuing shortly a joint statement that outlines the details of our discussions

02:41and commitments. Let me speak briefly on the issues concerning economic

02:48development and resilience. We reviewed what has happened over the past year and

02:53we were gratified at the depth and breadth of the economic engagement of

02:57our two countries. From the first ever preferential trade and investment

03:02mission led by Commerce Secretary Jeanne Ramundo to the co-hosting of the

03:07Indo-Pacific Business Forum here in Manila and to the series of dialogues

03:11dealing with aviation, science and technology, energy space, and cyber

03:16security, we have done much and accomplished much equally in charting a

03:21path towards our objectives of stable, sustainable, and secure economic growth.

03:26We are committed to following through on the ongoing cooperation with the

03:31Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the

03:36Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. In this regard, we look

03:41towards identifying and implementing projects for investment in the Luzon

03:46Economic Corridor. Finally, on people-to-people ties, we love the work

03:51of the Philippine Fulbright Commission and the USAID in the harnessing of

03:56educational cooperation and development assistance. We are also excited about the

04:02ongoing work with the Millennium Challenge Corporation on a threshold

04:06program. Let me end by emphasizing that the Philippines will continue to uphold

04:11and protect the rules-based international order in the midst of a

04:15regional landscape that is significantly under stress. In our discussions, I've

04:20conveyed the situation in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea

04:24and that it remains a priority to our government. In line with our treaty

04:29obligations, we discussed recent developments and committed to continue

04:33our work together in upholding Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights,

04:37and jurisdiction. I would like to thank again my partner, Secretary Teodoro of

04:43the DND, and our counterparts and friends, Secretaries Blinken and Austin, for the

04:49candid, constructive, and comprehensive discussions we had today on this

04:53historic, first-ever Philippine-U.S. two-plus-two ministerial dialogue in

04:58Manila. I truly believe our discussions and, more importantly, our firm

05:03commitment to Philippine-U.S. relations undeniably demonstrates that our

05:08alliance is ironclad. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Manalo. Secretary Teodoro,

05:14you have the floor. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It has indeed been an

05:20honor to welcome Secretaries Blinken and Austin, Secretary Manalo, to Campo

05:26Aguinaldo for today's two-plus-two. Today, as we convene the fourth two-plus-two

05:31meeting between us, we continue the important conversation that began

05:35between our defense establishments in 2002, not only in words but backed up by

05:42concrete accomplishments. We thank the U.S. government for the continued

05:47assistance in building up our capabilities, which will provide a

05:52tremendous boost in order for us to establish a credible deterrent to

05:57unlawful foreign aggression. We discussed security assistance roadmap

06:03that will bolster our sustainability, interoperability, redundancy, and

06:09effectiveness. We discussed ways and means of enhancing our cooperation and

06:15to ensure that the Philippines becomes an effective upholder of international

06:21law under a free and open global rules-based order. We will ensure more

06:28frequent and regular policy and operational coordination. We will also

06:33bolster maritime cooperative activities and expand coordination with Japan and

06:39Australia and other like-minded nations, not only in these areas but in joint

06:45exercises and training as well, where applicable. We agreed to fully

06:51implement EDCA projects and to increase investments in EDCA-agreed locations. In

06:58this period of climate change uncertainty, this will certainly help

07:03our HADR efforts once these projects are completed. We will cooperate in

07:10cybersecurity by advancing the capabilities of both the DND and the AFP,

07:16not only in terms of capabilities but also in terms of cooperation in threat

07:21detection and protection and in joint advanced technological development. We

07:27are optimistic that with robust cooperation in four dimensions, land, sea,

07:33air, and cyber, extensive interoperability both bilaterally and

07:39with like-minded nations, the US-Philippine alliance will be a

07:43significant contributor to regional peace and stability under the regime of

07:49international law. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Chidoro. Secretary Blinken, you

07:55have the floor. Thank you very much, and it's very, very good to be back in Manila.

08:00This is my third visit here as Secretary, my 18th trip to the Indo-Pacific over

08:05the last three and a half years, but let me begin by first expressing

08:09condolences to all of those killed, harmed, displaced by the recent typhoon

08:16and flooding. I'm able to announce today an additional $1 million in

08:20assistance to help bring food, emergency shelter, logistics, and other aid to all

08:26of those who've been affected. I'm grateful to our colleagues, our friends,

08:33Secretaries Manolo and Chidoro, not only for hosting us, but for the very good,

08:38very productive sessions that we had throughout the course of today. It's very

08:42good to be here with my friend and partner, Secretary Austin. We were just

08:45together in Japan for 2 plus 2. This is a reflection of President Biden's

08:50transformative leadership in the Indo-Pacific. Last year in Washington,

08:56President Biden and President Marcos set out an ambitious course for our

09:01partnership. And then in April, President Marcos was back in Washington with

09:06Prime Minister Kishida of Japan and President Biden to launch a historic

09:10trilateral partnership between our countries. As a result of these visits, but

09:16also the work that we're doing every single day, our relationship between the

09:21United States and the Philippines is the strongest that it's ever been. And

09:24today's talk is built on that unprecedented momentum in a number of

09:29very concrete ways. Our armed forces are working on more shared priorities in

09:34more places than ever before. We're now allocating an additional 500

09:40million dollars in foreign military financing to the Philippines to boost

09:43security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region. New steps to

09:50strengthen the alliance, a once-in-a-generation investment to help

09:53modernize the Filipino Armed Forces and Coast Guard, our first bilateral security

09:58sector assistance roadmap, doubling our investments in the enhanced defense

10:03cooperation agreement. Both of us share concerns, and many other countries in the

10:10region share concerns as well, about some of the actions that the People's

10:14Republic of China has taken, escalatory actions in the South China Sea, the East

10:18China Sea, and elsewhere. And this is something that we heard much about from

10:22our colleagues at the recent ASEAN meetings. Defiance of the 2016 arbitral

10:27tribunal decision, coercive methods being used in the seas. We welcome the

10:35provisional agreement understanding reached between the PRC and the

10:39Philippines on the rotation and resupply of the second Thomas Shoal. And we were

10:44pleased to see that the first resupply mission, subsequent to that understanding,

10:47went forward without incident. It's very important that that be the standard, not

10:53the exception. And as I said to the Chinese foreign minister when we met in

10:57Laos a few days ago, China must uphold its commitments to not obstruct the

11:02Philippines in their resupply missions. We stand by our ironclad defense

11:07commitment to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty. That extends to

11:11armed attacks on Filipino Armed Forces, public vessels or aircraft, including the

11:15Coast Guard, anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea. As you

11:21heard from Secretary Manalo, we're equally focused on our economic

11:26partnership, our economic relationship. This is really comprehensive security,

11:31not just our military and physical security, but also our economic security

11:35and our joint resilience. We have partnering and partnership on critical

11:41industries. The Philippines is a priority partner on semiconductor

11:46manufacturing. 20% of global assembly, testing, and packaging takes place here

11:52in the Philippines. Thanks to the CHIPS Act, we're finalizing collaboration to

11:57support the strengthening of Filipino capacity. We're focused on workforce

12:02development as well as on regulatory reform. We're also investing in high

12:08quality, high-impact infrastructure via the Luzon Economic Corridor, connecting

12:13key economic hubs, Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, Batangas, and doing this through

12:20investments in rail, in port modernization, in clean energy, in

12:24semiconductor supply chains, in agribusiness. As we lower logistics costs,

12:30as we strengthen supply chains for critical industries, that will continue

12:35to drive investment and growth and will be a benefit to all of us. And this is

12:40supported by coordinated action, including coordinated action

12:44between the United States and Japan. All of this, part of the historic trilateral

12:49cooperation that our president's inaugurated just a few months ago.

12:54Finally, we're advancing energy security and the clean energy transition. This

12:58month, our bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement entered into force,

13:04and we talked today about next steps, including helping to develop a safe,

13:08secure, and modern civil nuclear sector. We are living in an incredibly complex

13:14moment, and as a result, the partnership between our countries is more important

13:20than ever, and our commitment to growing it now and for the years ahead is

13:25resolute. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Blinken. Secretary Austin, please. Thank

13:32you. Secretary Teodoro, Secretary Manalo, it's great to be back in Manila for

13:39another 2 plus 2 ministerial dialogue. Many thanks to you both for your

13:43tremendous hospitality. Before I begin, like Secretary Blinken, I am thinking

13:50about everyone who was affected by the typhoon and flooding here several days

13:55ago. Please know that the United States will always stand with you. As President

14:01Biden says, our countries share a strong partnership and also a strong

14:07friendship enriched by millions of Filipino Americans living all across the

14:14United States. So we're here to build on that extraordinary foundation. We're

14:20working to advance our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and

14:26together we're taking bold steps to strengthen our alliance. Today, as you

14:32heard, Secretary Blinken and I announced that we are poised to deliver a

14:36once-in-a-generation investment to help modernize the armed forces of the

14:41Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard. We're working with the U.S.

14:46Congress to allocate $500 million in foreign military financing to the

14:52Philippines. This level of funding is unprecedented, and it sends a clear

14:59message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration,

15:04the U.S. Congress, and the American people.

15:08Today, we also concluded the first-ever Bilateral Security Sector Assistance

15:13Roadmap. That roadmap will ensure that our mutual investments go toward the

15:19most important capabilities. We also reaffirmed that the Department of Defense

15:27intends to more than double our investments at Enhanced Defense

15:32Cooperation Agreement locations across the Philippines.

15:37President Biden's budget request this year includes more than $128 million

15:42to fund important EDCA infrastructure projects. And U.S. government investment

15:48in these locations extends beyond the Department of Defense. For example,

15:54USAID plans to pre-position disaster relief supplies at an EDCA location later this year.

16:02That will allow the Department to work alongside our Philippine allies

16:07to rapidly provide humanitarian assistance in times of need.

16:13Now, during our meeting, we also reaffirmed that the Mutual Defense Treaty remains the bedrock

16:18of our alliance. And let me be clear, the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on either

16:27of our armed forces, aircraft, or public vessels anywhere in the South China Sea.

16:34Together, we also discussed how to make our alliance even more secure through technology

16:39and security and cyber cooperation. We reiterated our shared intent to conclude

16:47a General Security of Military Information Agreement by the end of the year.

16:53That's crucial to our shared cybersecurity goals. And finally, we underscored the importance of

16:59working even more closely with like-minded allies and partners, including Australia and Japan.

17:07This is part of what I've described as the new convergence in the Indo-Pacific.

17:12And we can see that new convergence right here. The United States, the Philippines,

17:19and our other allies and partners are operating together more closely and capably than ever.

17:27And we're working together to ensure a free and open region.

17:31So it's been a great day for our alliance here in Manila.

17:34And Jibo, Ricky, Tony, thanks for your vision and your leadership.

17:41And I am confident that our two proud democracies will continue to deepen our alliance.

17:47So with that, we look forward to your questions.

17:49MODERATOR Thank you, Secretary Austin. Thank you,

17:52Secretaries. We will now proceed to the question-and-answer portion. We will entertain

17:58four questions, one each directed to each Secretary. May I call Liz Frieden of Fox News

18:06for her question directed to Secretary Austin. Liz, yes.

18:12QUESTION Thank you. Secretary Austin,

18:15having just spoken with Israeli Defense Minister Golan yesterday, do you believe an Israeli

18:19operation in Lebanon is imminent? And can Israel fight both Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah

18:24at the same time and win? For Secretary Blinken, the U.S. is investing an unprecedented amount of

18:31money and resources to the Philippines. Why now, and why is the Philippines relevant to

18:36a potential invasion of Taiwan? For Secretary Manolo, following your meeting with China's

18:42Foreign Minister Wang, he warned that U.S. intermediate-range missile deployment could

18:47start an arms race with China. Do you think that you're starting an arms race?

18:51Liz, that's three questions. Supposedly one question for Secretary Austin. I will deprive

18:57the others of their question. So please, we will leave it to that, and we'll see which

19:03questions will be answered. Yes, Secretary Austin, please.

19:07QUESTION Liz, thanks for your question. I believe

19:10that you asked whether or not a fight was with – between Israel and Lebanon – Israel

19:20and Lebanon-Hezbollah is inevitable – or imminent, excuse me. I don't believe that

19:29while we've seen a lot of activity on Israel's northern border, we remain concerned about the

19:36potential of this escalating into a full-blown fight. And I don't believe that a fight is

19:43inevitable. I think that we'd like to see things resolved in a diplomatic fashion.

19:49As to whether or not Israel can manage a war in Gaza and a fight in Lebanon at the same time,

19:59Israel will do what it needs to defend itself, and it's demonstrated that

20:04time and again. We've committed to helping Israel defend itself for whatever it takes,

20:10and certainly that's not a scenario that we'd like to see occur.

20:14We'd like to see things resolved in a diplomatic fashion going forward.

20:21And, Liz, with regard to the foreign military financing, as you know, the Philippines has

20:25actually long been one of the largest recipients of foreign military financing in the Indo-Pacific.

20:31But the very significant additional investment that we're making in FMF,

20:37the $500 million, this is really designed to support the modernization of Filipino forces,

20:43Coast Guard, as they transition to focus on external defense.

20:49We're building on a lot of progress the Philippines has already made

20:52to be better positioned to defend their sovereignty. That is what this is about.

20:57And more generally, with regard to Taiwan, both of us, and for that matter,

21:04virtually every country in the region and countries around the world,

21:07are determined that we see the status quo maintained, that we preserve peace and stability.

21:13That's where our focus is. I think there's a recognition around the world that were there

21:18to be some kind of crisis on Taiwan, it would affect everyone. It would have global impact.

21:22We have 50 percent of container traffic going through the Taiwan Straits every single day.

21:27Seventy percent of the semiconductors manufactured on Taiwan. So there's a

21:31recognition around the world that were there to be a crisis there, everyone would be affected,

21:36which is exactly why all of us are focused on trying to make sure that peace and stability

21:42is preserved, that the status quo is maintained. And finally, I just say,

21:47the alliance that we have with the Philippines, this longstanding alliance,

21:51there's a critical word that applies to it. It's a defensive alliance.

21:55We are about making sure that all of us can protect and uphold our sovereignty,

22:01our territorial integrity, freedom of navigation, freedom of commerce,

22:05which is so vital to everyone in this region.

22:09Thank you. I wasn't able to hear the last part of your question, but I get the gist.

22:15Regarding the supposed reference of Foreign Minister Wang Yi to the missiles, all I can

22:21really say is that first, these missiles are meant for our own defensive capabilities,

22:26our own ability to improve our defensive deterrence, and they're not meant for any

22:33offensive purposes. So I really can't see on that basis how it would lead to an arms race.

22:39Okay. Thank you, Secretaries. The next question should be raised by Simon Lewis of Reuters.

22:48Simon, you have the floor.

22:51Thank you. If you don't mind, I would like to put some questions to some of the different

22:56officials rather than just Secretary Blinken. Secretary Austin, just to follow up a little

23:03bit on the question about Lebanon, the US defended Israel when Iran fired missiles at it

23:08in April. Are you prepared to similarly defend Israel if a full-scale war breaks out

23:15with Hezbollah in the north? To Secretary Teodoro, your country and China appear to

23:23have different interpretations of the Second Thomas Scholl resupply agreement. You say that

23:30no prior notification or inspections are required for the resupply. Can you share details of what

23:36the agreement says? And do you intend to press ahead with resupply missions on that basis,

23:41even if China doesn't agree with your interpretation?

23:46Thanks, Simon. You mentioned the actions that we took along with other allies in the region to

23:54help defend Israel in April. And I have to take this opportunity to applaud the

24:01tremendous work that we saw from our troops and also our allies that came together in a

24:09very short period of time and did absolutely magnificent work, in my opinion.

24:17So your question is, if Israel is attacked, will we help to defend Israel? If Israel is attacked,

24:24yes, we will help to help Israel defend itself. We've been clear about that from the very beginning.

24:31But again, we don't want to see that happen. What we want to see happen is

24:35things resolved in a diplomatic fashion.

24:40Secretary Teodoro?

24:41On the gist of the talks made with China, I will defer to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

24:49However, suffice it to state that we will conduct regular and routine resupply missions

24:58in accordance with our duties under the Philippine Constitution

25:02and our responsibilities to our country.

25:08Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Teodoro. Yes, we will, of course, continue our supply resupply

25:15missions. On the issue of notification, I think the more accurate term is exchange of information,

25:21which is exactly what we did with China and both of us. And the fact that the

25:29supply was a relative success, I think, indicates that

25:34it's something that we are committed to pursue in succeeding supply missions,

25:40provided, of course, China also adheres to the understanding.

25:45Thank you, Secretaries. Can we now call on Nestor Corrales of the Philippine Daily

25:50Inquirer for his questions?

25:54This question is for Secretary Teodoro. Secretary, how will the 500 million in military funding,

26:01including the 128 million for EDCA investments from the U.S., help address Beijing's aggression

26:06in the South China Sea? And what will be the priorities under this funding?

26:11Well, the priorities will be laid down in the security sector assistance roadmap.

26:18Naturally, a lot of our inherent hardening capabilities are included,

26:24like cyber capabilities and the like. These and all the EDCA investments will serve to secure

26:34the Philippines' credible deterrent posture. Every peso or dollar spent on hardening Philippine

26:41capabilities to defend itself and to deter unlawful aggression will be a plus against any

26:48threat actor, whether it be China or anyone. So the EDCA investments are not only solely for

26:58defense purposes, but are also for civil defense purposes like humanitarian assistance and

27:04disaster response. They can be venues for joint cooperation and interoperability between the

27:10United States and the Philippines and multilaterally with like-minded nations.

27:17And likewise, they will serve also as venues for economic development, like Secretary Austin

27:24has said, with the USAID. So these are not monodimensional, but multidimensional investments

27:31that will help the development of the country and help to deter unwanted and unlawful aggression

27:39by building a credible deterrent posture.

27:42Thank you, Secretary Tedoro. Last question, Joyce Rocamora from PNA.

27:48Good afternoon. The rest of the ministers may also wish to answer.

27:52What assurance has the U.S. given to the Philippines and the rest of Asia,

27:56including Japan and South Korea, that its strong security support would continue

28:01in case of a leadership change in the U.S. after the November elections? And in relation,

28:07you saw me was also mentioned, can you expound more on that?

28:17You're addressing it to all.

28:22Well, I can just, I'm happy to start simply by saying that, of course,

28:25elections are a regular feature of our democracy. What's also a regular feature is a strong,

28:32longstanding alliance between our countries. And that doesn't change from election to election.

28:37We have a mutual defense treaty that the United States is committed to.

28:41That commitment will endure, again, irrespective of administrations. And this has been

28:48a long and powerful story in our history. It will continue.

28:57I'll just tag on to that and say that, you know, we see and have seen and will continue to see

29:04a bipartisan support for the Philippines in our country. And anytime that you see that level of

29:12bipartisan support in our government, you can bet that support will continue in good fashion.

29:22You know, I've said a number of times that we're more than allies, we're family. And

29:29I would also say that I cannot imagine a day when the United States of America and the Philippines

29:36are not the best of friends, the best of allies. So, I think, again, we continue to enjoy

29:44bipartisan support, and that's going to happen going forward in the future.

29:50Well, I think I can only add to that and just say that the Philippine-U.S. alliance

29:57and friendship has withstood the test of time. We've officially been partners for seven decades,

30:06but it even goes beyond that. And in all those years, our relationship has held firmly and,

30:12in fact, has only grown more productive. And, in fact, now we could even say our relationship is

30:19at a high point. But let me say that the fundamental factors accounting for all of that

30:24is not only our shared adherence to democratic values, to social justice,

30:28but also the strong people-to-people relationship, which has really been the bedrock of our

30:34relationship. And I can say that aside from having shared interests, strategic, a shared strategic

30:40outlook, I think all those factors will combine to ensure that our relationship continues beyond,

30:46perhaps, seven decades and even more. So, I think that is the best way to describe

30:52the state of our relationship. I believe our relationship is based on two fundamental things.

31:00First is sustainability. Our engagements have always been on the principle of sustainability

31:07and not one-off, one-time things. Secondly, we share principles, fundamental principles of

31:16adherence to international law and rules-based international order. And both countries,

31:22and not only the United States, but like-minded partners realize that building up the Philippine

31:30credible deterrent posture is vital to ensuring the rule of international law in the Indo-Pacific,

31:38particularly in our region. No partisan political position can denigrate from these fundamental

31:47principles because these are good things, right things that should be encouraged and developed.

31:56So, I do not see any partisan political detraction from our positions because they are based on

32:06principle. Secondly, in terms of the Jesonia question earlier, it is an attempt and an

32:13exercise, a continuing exercise to develop our operational security, which is a required

32:20stepping stone for our development of an armed force and a defense establishment with increasing

32:29sophistication to deal with vulnerabilities and with unpredictabilities in the future

32:37defense situation and picture. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, secretaries, for this

32:43joint press conference. Thank you, DFA Press Corps and members of the media joining the U.S. delegation.

32:51Can we request the secretaries for one photo opportunity in front, for one photo opportunity

32:58for the press, and then we will conclude this press conference.

Sec. Antony Blinken & Sec. Lloyd Austin Hold Press Conference With Officials In Manila, Philippines

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