ASEANEWS HEADLINE-ASIA GEOP[OLITICS | MANILA: Austin: US troops deployed to Task Force Ayungin

MANILA, Philippines —  United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III has revealed the existence of what appears to be a military unit of American troops in the country called the “US Task Force Ayungin.”

The Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have yet to issue a statement on the matter, considering that no such task force has been mentioned before.

Ayungin apparently refers to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea where the AFP maintains an outpost utilizing the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.

Rotation and resupply missions for troops stationed there had previously resulted in violent confrontations between Philippine Navy-commissioned civilian supply vessels and the China Coast Guard.

Austin referred to the unit after his trip to Palawan on Tuesday as part of his two-day visit to the Philippines.

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“I visited the Command and Control Fusion Center in Palawan today. I also met with some American service members deployed to US Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region,” he said in a post on X.

Austin visited the Western Command of the AFP in Puerto Princesa, Palawan where he and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro had meetings, capability demonstrations and a press conference.

The US defense chief said he witnessed the Philippine Navy demonstrate the capabilities of a T-12 unmanned surface vessel, one of several unmanned capabilities funded and delivered this year to the AFP through the US security assistance program.

“America is profoundly committed to the defense of the Philippines. Our commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad and let me say again, the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, aircraft or public vessels, including our coast guards, anywhere in the South China Sea. The past few years have been a period of truly historic progress for the US-Philippine alliance,” he said.

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Security consortium

The US Department of Defense has launched an industry-government Maritime Security (MARSEC) Consortium to advance maritime security across Southeast Asia.

The US Department of Defense’s Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs (IPSA) announced the MARSEC Consortium, a new public-private initiative focused on transforming maritime security in Southeast Asia, on Monday.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Pete Nguyen said the MARSEC Consortium brings together defense industry investors, companies, US government policy and innovation officials and Southeast Asian government decision-makers committed to identifying low-cost, commercially available solutions to meet interested Southeast Asian partners’ most pressing maritime security challenges.

IPSA is launching the MARSEC Consortium in collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and US Indo-Pacific Command.

Nguyen said the MARSEC Consortium will convene decision-makers, operators and solution providers. “Together, they will match policy objectives and operational challenges with commercially available solutions, demonstrate those capabilities and expedite delivery,” Nguyen said.

“Ensuring Southeast Asian allies and partners have impactful, cost-effective means to monitor, manage and enforce maritime security interests will increase regional and global peace, security, and prosperity,” he added.

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Working with Trump

The Philippines looks forward to working with the administration of US president-elect Donald Trump continuing the positive momentum in economic, security and defense cooperation, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The DFA welcomed the call between President Marcos and Trump on Nov. 19.

In a statement, the DFA said the congratulatory call, described by the President as very friendly and productive, “underscored the positive momentum and trajectory in the Philippines’ bilateral relations with the US.”

“It also highlighted the positive role of Filipino Americans in US society, including in the recent successful and peaceful conduct of US elections,” it said.

“The United States remains an important ally, partner and friend to the Philippines. We look forward to working with the Trump administration in ensuring that Philippines-US relations remain robust and benefit from continuing positive momentum in security and defense cooperation, economic partnership, as well as broader and deeper engagement across other areas of mutual interest.” – Pia Lee-Brago