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| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Philippines Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario (L) meet in Washington © AFP/File Paul J. Richards |
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States said Thursday it was ready to provide hardware to modernize the military of the Philippines, which vowed to "stand up to any aggressive action" amid rising tension at sea with China.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, on a visit to Washington, said the Philippines hoped to lease equipment to upgrade its aged fleet and called for the allies to revamp their relationship in light of the friction with China.
"We are determined and committed to supporting the defense of the Philippines," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a joint news conference when asked about the hardware wish-list from the Philippines.
