US vows more support for Philippines amid tensions in South China Sea

US Defence Secretary Mark Esper on Tuesday vowed moresupport for the Philippines in efforts to modernize the country'smilitary and improve maritime security as tensions build over thedisputed South China Sea.Esper, who was in Manila for a one-day visit, said he and PhilippineDefence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana discussed various ways tostrengthen cooperation and further boost the two countries'decades-old alliance. "The United States will continue to support and to help modernize thePhilippines armed forces and to improve maritime security and domainawareness," he told a press conference after their meeting. "We look forward to train in future joint air and maritime patrols toimprove our interoperability and to demonstrate our commitment toupholding the long-standing international rules and norms," he added.Esper said the United States would continue to conductfreedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea, despitewarnings by China against such activities, stressing that such actssend a clear message that all countries should abide by internationallaws."I think it is incumbent upon all of us to take a very public postureand to assert our sovereign rights and to emphasize the importance oflaw," he said.Noting that the US has conducted more freedom-of-navigationoperations in the past year than in the previous 20 years, Espersaid: "The clear signal that we're trying to send is not that weoppose China per se, but that we all stand for international rulesand international laws and that we think China should abide by themas well.""Acting collectively is the best way to send that message and to getChina on the right path," he added.China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory andhas built artificial islands with military-capable facilities overreefs and outcrops in the area, which are also claimed in part byVietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that Beijinghad no legal or historical basis for its "Nine-Dash Line," whichdemarcates its claims to the South China Sea, a key shipping lanebelieved to be rich in marine and mineral resources.China has rejected the arbitration ruling, which was the result of acase filed by the Philippines.Esper and Lorenzana also discussed counter-terrorism cooperation as akey pillar of the two countries' defence alliance."We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces of thePhilippines in fighting terrorism," Esper said. "The United Statesremains committed in supporting the Philippines' continued efforts todeny terrorist groups a safe haven in the region."According to the Philippine defence department, troops are monitoringsuspected Islamic State-allied operatives who are believed to behiding in the southern region of Mindanao and working with localterrorist groups.