PH, US agree to re-establish deterrence in Indo-Pacific amid Chinese aggression

Manila Bulletin

The Philippines and United States decided to re-establish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region through the deployment of advanced capabilities to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), enhance the interoperability of Filipino and American troops, prioritize bilateral defense industrial cooperation, and hold a joint cyber campaign. (Video courtesy of Associated Press)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/28/ph-us-agree-to-re-establish-deterrence-in-indo-pacific-amid-chinese-aggression  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

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00:00Thank you for the question.

00:05I'm responsible for ensuring that our department is prepared and ready to deter and defeat

00:11our enemies.

00:12And I'm quite proud, quite proud of what our forces in CENTCOM did on that initial series

00:19of very effective and devastating strikes and the ongoing campaign that we are undertaking.

00:26Because that is a, again, on the backs of four years of deferred maintenance and failure

00:31and weakness of the Biden administration, we are reestablishing deterrence.

00:37And as the leader of that department, my job is to advise and work alongside the president

00:40and then work with my fellow cabinet members to ensure that we're operationalizing in every

00:46way possible, reestablishing that deterrence.

00:50So we will ensure the freedom of navigation returns to that part of the world, just as

00:55pertinent to our conversation today.

00:58Freedom of navigation is something the Philippines experiences in the South China Sea or the

01:03West Philippine Sea.

01:06It's something we take very seriously.

01:10You know what the problem is?

01:11You will hear me, the United States will hear me, Filipinos will hear me, but one billion

01:16or more Chinese won't get to hear what I said.

01:22Powerful words.

01:23I will just add two things.

01:25There's a long line of countries in the past who have attempted to test U.S. resolve.

01:31We are resolved at this time, at this moment, to work with our partners, to reestablish

01:37the warrior ethos, to rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence, and come alongside

01:42our allies and partners, first and foremost, in this region.

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