Pete Hegseth pledges US support for Manila against China

The Trump administration will stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the Philippines to counter the threats posed by China, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said during a visit to Manila.

Hegseth, who is embroiled in a national security scandal back in the US, reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to the region during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Friday.

“Deterrence is necessary around the world but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese,” Hegseth told Marcos.

“Friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there is free navigation whether you call it the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea," he added.

The US defence secretary praised the Philippines for standing “very firm” to defend its interests in contested waters.

In recent months, the Philippines has accused China of "dangerous" military manoeuvres in the South China Sea, a crucial waterway that Beijing claims in almost its entirety.

Manila said in February that a Chinese helicopter flew within three metres of a Philippine patrol plane above the disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Under their mutual defence treaty, the US is obligated to help defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea.

"We have always understood the principle that the greatest force for peace in this part of the world would be the United States,” Marcos said during his meeting with Hegseth.

Since starting his presidency in June 2022, Marcos has aligned his country closely with the US, in a shift from his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who had deepened ties with China.

Ahead of Hegseth’s