U.S., Philippines reiterate importance of Taiwan Strait peace

Taipei, Feb. 17 (CNA) The United States and the Philippines have reaffirmed the importance of regional security in the Taiwan Strait following the 12th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Manila Monday.

In a joint statement released by the U.S. Department of State the same day, Washington and Manila emphasized collective defense in deterring aggression anywhere along the first island chain, of which Taiwan is a part.

The two countries condemned what they described as China's "coercive actions" in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

According to the statement, the two sides committed to maintaining a high level of vigilance in the Indo-Pacific region to prevent conflict. They vowed to establish robust measures and deterrent capabilities to ensure unhindered passage through maritime waterways, free from arbitrary control by any single nation.

"Collective defense is critical to denying and deterring aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain," the statement said.

Furthermore, the U.S. and the Philippines reaffirmed their commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), promising to act jointly in response to armed attacks on either party's territory, armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific area.

The two countries condemned what the statement described as "China's illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities in the South China Sea."

Regarding Taiwan, the statement noted that the U.S. and the Philippines strongly oppose any behavior that threatens or uses force to violate the territorial integrity or political independence of other nations.

Looking toward 2026, the statement outlined plans to strengthen interoperability and conduct more realistic exercises to enhance readiness for contingencies. The U.S. pledged to push for the modernization of the Philippine armed forces and coast guard, and to increase the deployment of advanced U.S. missiles and unmanned systems to the Philippines.

Additionally, the U.S. is allocating an extra US$144 million for fiscal year 2026 to support sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), focusing on infrastructure development. EDCA allows U.S. forces to use Philippine bases for joint training, equipment storage, and the construction of facilities like runways and fuel depots, though it does not establish permanent U.S. basing.