A US government official has reassured the Philippines of its commitments while Washington is managing the growing competition between the US and China, which is “critically important” not only for both countries but also for their allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific.
US State Department’s Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink made the statement following the visit of US State Secretary Antony Blinken to Beijing, where he met high-level officials, including President Xi Jinping, to reduce tensions between the two superpowers.
Kritenbrink stressed that there is a good reason why friendly relations between the US and China must be maintained.
The Philippines, which has an ongoing territorial dispute with China over maritime territories in the South China Sea, has the military backing of the US.
“We believe that it is critically important, including in the regional context, that the United States and China work hard to responsibly manage the growing competition between us,” Kritenbrink said, in an online media briefing Tuesday night.
“We have made clear that we will stand up to and we will counter a range of concerns that we have with Chinese activities, including in the South China Sea and including those directed at some of our key partners and allies, such as the Philippines,” he added.
The US official cited the importance of shared security and prosperity of the region.
Kritenbrink stressed that the US is committed to the region, including its allies and partners, to achieve a rules-based international order.
However, he also gave assurance that the US would keep its channels of communication with Beijing open to manage competition and “a range of issues,” and “most importantly, prevent the risk of miscalculation.”
