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US lawmakers back stronger ties with Philippines

Dunya News

US lawmakers backed Obama administration efforts to forge a stronger relationship with Philippines.

They said Congress soon will approve the transfer of a second ship to help the allys navy defend its waters.Republican Rep. Ed Royce told a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs hearing on US-Philippine relations that the congressional review process for transferring the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas will be finished this week, and the ship should soon be on its way to Manila. Another aging US cutter, the Hamilton, was transferred to the Philippines last May.The US has sought to boost the Philippines ability to maintain its maritime security because of its allys concern over assertive Chinese behavior in disputed waters of the South China Sea.While the United States has no territorial claims in the region, the top US diplomat for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, reiterated that the US has a national interest in such claims peaceful resolution and the freedom of navigation in seas that carry about a half the total tonnage of world trade.
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