By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora
MANILA – The Philippines and the United States will strengthen defense cooperation to boost deterrence along the First Island Chain (FIC), US Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday, upon meeting Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The two defense secretaries met on the sidelines of the 2026 IISS Shangri-La Security Dialogue in Singapore, where Hegseth said America would push for a “stable equilibrium” where “no state, including China, can impose its hegemony” in the region.
“Honored to meet Secretary Teodoro for the fifth time as we bolster defense cooperation along the First Island Chain – backed by our most advanced-ever Balikatan exercise and a Coast Guard cutter transfer,” he said.
“We continue to put peace through strength into action.”
The FIC refers to the chain of islands – Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo – traversing from the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait to the West Philippine Sea, and forms the first line of islands off the East Asian continental mainland.
In its 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), the Trump administration indicated its growing concern over the speed and scale of China’s military buildup, and its intention to prevent anyone “from being able to dominate” the US and its allies.
Under the strategy, the US emphasized the importance of FIC and building a “strong denial defense” along it in achieving “balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.”
Earlier this month, the Philippines and the US concluded the 2026 Balikatan exercise, which also gathered troops from several partner states on Philippine soil, including those from Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.
In his IISS Shangri-La Dialogue remarks, Hegseth said Washington DC supports a region where “sovereignty is respected, commerce flows freely, and nations retain the freedom to make their own choices.”
Aside from Hegseth, Teodoro also met with New Zealand Minister of Defense Christopher Penk in Singapore and discussed the two nations’ growing military engagements and the value of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA).
Both sides likewise expressed interest in exploring expanded defense cooperation in various areas.
In a release on Friday night, the Department of National Defense said Teodoro emphasized the “value of convergence among like-minded countries, including greater engagement with Pacific Island nations to strengthen regional partnerships and promote stability, resilience, and a rules-based international order.” (With a report from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
