MANILA • United States and Philippine defence chiefs yesterday expressed hopes to resume the joint "Balikatan" military exercise that was cancelled last year, as they discussed the situation in the South China Sea.

Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also discussed the recent developments in regional security.

Their phone conversation comes just days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, also in a phone call, expressed their shared concerns about Chinese vessels, which Manila believes are manned by militia, in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has protested against the presence of the Chinese boats inside its 322km exclusive economic zone at Whitsun Reef in the strategic waterway, repeatedly asking China to move the vessels away.

Chinese diplomats, however, have said that the fishing boats were just sheltering from rough seas and no militia were aboard.

Mr Austin, during the phone conference, reiterated the importance of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries, while Mr Lorenzana committed to discussing the matter with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

In February, Mr Duterte said he had not made a decision yet on the future of the two-decade-old troop deployment agreement with the US. The agreement provides the legal framework under which US troops can operate on a rotational basis in the Philippines.

Relations between the US and the Philippines have been complicated since 2016 when Mr Duterte, who has repeatedly made statements condemning US foreign policy while befriending China, rose to power.

REUTERS