Manila defence chief says Washington gave ‘particular assurances’ that its commitments to the Philippines stay.
Printed On 7 Sep 2026
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has warned that Beijing might view current cuts to the joint US-South Korea navy drills as a chance to reassert itself within the Asia Pacific.
Talking on the sidelines of the Seoul Protection Dialogue, an annual multilateral safety discussion board, Teodoro stated that “China may be very fast to use gaps”, when requested on Monday whether or not Beijing might seize on the transfer.
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He added that Washington had given Manila “particular assurances” that the US commitments to the Philippines remained unchanged.
He additionally accused China of exploiting democratic methods to unfold “distortive narratives”.
![US General Xavier T. Brunson, commander of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command (CFC), the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and the United Nations Command (UNC), shakes hands with a US Army soldier during a US-South Korea joint river-crossing exercise, which is a part of the annual Freedom Shield joint military training, near the demilitarised zone separating South and North Korea, in Yeoncheon, South Korea [Kim Soo-hyeon/Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-03-14T101408Z_1688914085_RC254KAMA6O8_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHKOREA-USA-MILITARY-1788746327.jpg?resize=770%2C521&quality=80)
South Korea and the US shortened the duration of their annual joint navy drills and scaled again area coaching workout routines final month after US President Donald Trump ordered a “substantial discount” within the annual conflict video games.
The US-led Ulchi Freedom Protect conflict video games ended six days sooner than initially deliberate.
Trump cited his “excellent relationship” with North Korean chief Kim Jong Un and linked the choice to Seoul’s refusal to affix the US and Israel’s conflict on Iran on the time.
Final week, South Korea’s presidential workplace said it was mulling “contributions” to the US’s freedom of navigation within the Strait of Hormuz. The presidential workplace later clarified that nothing has been determined, as any navy deployment by South Korea requires a call by the nation’s Nationwide Safety Council, a decision at a cupboard assembly, and consent from the Nationwide Meeting.
Trump stated he deliberate to satisfy with Kim later this 12 months. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, later launched an announcement denying any ongoing communication between the US president and her brother and maintained that Washington continues to interact in a “hostile” coverage in the direction of her nation, regardless of the nice and cozy relationship between the 2 leaders.
US, South Korea and Japan maintain trilateral navy drills
The US, South Korea and Japan are as a result of maintain 5 days of navy drills in waters east and south of South Korea’s Jeju Island beginning on Monday.
South Korea’s navy stated in an announcement that the Freedom Edge train is defensive in nature and meant to reply to North Korean nuclear and missile threats in addition to promote regional peace and stability.
North Korea has beforehand slammed the trilateral drill as a “reckless present of energy” that proved its adversaries’ confrontational stance. Pyongyang has additionally stated the drill contained a US intention to put siege to China and exert strain on Russia.
