Philippines, US condemn China amid sweeping defense and economic pledges

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Philippines and the United States jointly condemned China’s “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities” in the South China Sea while committing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic assistance and pledging to increase deployments of cutting-edge U.S. missile and unmanned systems to the country, as the two allies wrapped up their 12th Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) in Manila on Feb. 16, 2026.

The sweeping set of commitments — spanning defense modernization, nuclear energy, health security, and regional deterrence — came as the Philippines and the United States marked 80 years of diplomatic relations and the 75th anniversary of their alliance, with Manila simultaneously holding the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Both sides underscored their unwavering commitment to uphold a free, open, prosperous, and secure Indo-Pacific, grounded in mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Philippine and U.S. officials reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the founding document of the alliance, reiterating that it extends to armed attacks against either country’s armed forces, aircraft, and public vessels — including those of their coast guards — anywhere in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.

Both sides said China’s activities in the South China Sea have had adverse effects on regional peace and stability and on the economies of the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

To counter this, both sides committed to maintaining a vigilant posture in the Indo-Pacific to prevent conflict and to developing strong deterrence measures to keep sea lanes open and not subject to arbitrary control by one country.

Both sides also welcomed improved multilateral cooperation with like-minded partners, including Australia and Japan, to further enhance regional security.

Among the concrete defense commitments for 2026, both sides agreed to continue and work to increase deployments of U.S. cutting-edge missile and unmanned systems to the Philippines, and to hold the fifth “2+2” Ministerial Dialogue, to be hosted by the United States.

Both sides also committed to accelerate and streamline the implementation of the Philippines’ Security Sector Assistance Roadmap, and to prioritize the utilization of available Foreign Military Financing toward the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Plans further include enhancing joint capabilities and interoperability for more realistic training conditions, holding the fourth bilateral maritime dialogue, and holding a foreign minister-level trilateral policy dialogue with Japan.

Both sides committed to expand and modernize the Philippines’ civilian and military cyber defense capabilities and its ability to detect and disrupt cyber threats, as well as to enhance the Philippines’ capacity to monitor and respond to maritime challenges, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

On the economic front, the United States announced USD 250,000,000 to support the health security of the Filipino people, with both sides committing to deepen bilateral partnerships on health-related diplomacy.

The United States will also provide USD 1,500,000 through the Department of State’s Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program to build a small modular reactor (SMR) control room simulator in the Philippines, ensuring nuclear development in the region is consistent with the highest standards of nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.

Through the Fulbright Program, the United States is sending experts to the Philippines to help develop nuclear-focused curricula and credentialing programs, building local capacity to construct and operate state-of-the-art nuclear reactors.

Both sides agreed to hold the first Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investment Forum in Manila in 2026, in coordination with Japan and other like-minded partners, to drive new investments and unlock additional private sector opportunities.

Additional economic priorities include catalyzing private sector development in transport, logistics, energy, and semiconductors, and expanding bilateral collaboration to establish secure and standards-based critical minerals supply chains.

Both sides also committed to deepening cooperation between the Philippines and U.S. government entities such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, and the U.S. Department of Energy to foster private sector-led investments in strategic sectors including digital infrastructure, agribusiness, and health security.

On law enforcement, both sides pledged to deepen diplomatic and law enforcement cooperation to combat cybercrime, online scam centers, and the production and trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals.

Both sides also committed to strengthen bilateral discussions on best practices for combatting transnational repression and to increase information sharing to disrupt terrorist travel.

On the multilateral front, both sides reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and strongly opposed any threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Both sides committed to close coordination on shared priorities throughout 2026 as the Philippines serves as ASEAN Chair, with a focus on upholding territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the peaceful resolution of disputes across the Indo-Pacific.

First convened in 2011, the BSD serves as the annual platform for the Philippines and the United States to discuss the full range of political, security, and economic cooperation, exchange views on current challenges and strategic bilateral priorities, and identify new collaborative initiatives as friends, partners, and allies.