MANILA, Philippines — Charles Q. Brown Jr., chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the importance of maritime awareness to further strengthen defense relations and “greater interoperability” between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military personnel.
Brown, the top military official of the Philippines’ oldest and closest ally, discussed bilateral security assistance and the utilization of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations with Philippine military and security officials on July 16, as reported in a readout of the meeting on Wednesday.
The officials also discussed awareness of the maritime domain to counter “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities.”
“The meeting underscored their commitment to (the) Philippine-United States’ longstanding military alliance. Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral defense cooperation, strengthening joint military exercises, and addressing regional security challenges,” the AFP said in a statement.
“The AFP and U.S. Armed Forces continue to engage in various joint activities, including training exercises, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response operations, further solidifying their partnership and readiness to respond to any contingencies,” it added.
Brown had meetings with Philippines’ National Security Advisor Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr.
The military officials exchanged their assessments on the regional security landscape, highlighting recent incidents in the Ayungin Shoal, which led to an amputation of a Coast Guard personnel’s finger due to a violent encounter with the Chinese Coast Guard in a routine and resupply mission.
“The leaders also shared their assessments of the regional security environment, including recent events in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal, and the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said the readout.
Brown, who arrived in the country on Tuesday, also visited one of the nine U.S. rotational access sites designated as part of the EDCA.
Signed in 2014, EDCA allows U.S. troops access to specific Philippine military facilities, enabling them to construct infrastructure and position equipment, aircraft and vessels.
Following his visit to the Philippines, Brown is set to meet with key officials in the Indo-Pacific this week to bolster U.S. investments in regional partnerships.
The top official will travel to Japan, another U.S. ally, to visit soldiers at Yokota Air Base and engage with senior government officials and military leaders to discuss regional deterrence and security cooperation.
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