SAN DIEGO: US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter on Thursday said America's alliance with the Philippines remains "ironclad" even though the Asian ally's leader has vowed to end joint military exercises.
The Pentagon chief's remarks came as he headed for a security summit in Hawaii, where concerns about Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, China's continued military expansion in the South China Sea, and the return of Islamic State group militants to the region were high on the agenda.
"As it has been for decades, our alliance with the Philippines is ironclad," Carter said, addressing troops aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, docked in San Diego.
Duterte on Wednesday said he would soon end joint military exercises with the United States, a symbolic blow to a military alliance dating back more than 60 years.
"I will serve notice to you now, that this will be the last military exercise, jointly Philippines-US, the last one," Duterte told several hundred Vietnam-based Filipinos during a rambling address in Hanoi as he started a trip to Vietnam.
Such a move could further dampen relations with Manila's longtime ally after the firebrand leader -- who has also called for US special operations forces in the country's south to leave -- branded US President Barack Obama a "son of a whore" and extended overtures to China.
But senior defense officials later appeared philosophical about Duterte's outbursts.
The US-Philippine alliance has "had its ups and downs and survived," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.
"It's going to continue to survive based on what we think are strong US-Philippine common security interests."
As for the military exercises, "we can be flexible about when and if they happen again," the official added.
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