U.S. Pledges $500 Million in New Military Aid to the Philippines, as China Asserts Sea Claims

The Biden administration announced on Tuesday an additional $500 million of military aid to the Philippines, further bolstering the defense alliance between the two nations while the Philippine military is grappling with aggressive actions by Chinese ships in the South China Sea.

The U.S. and Philippine governments have deepened their military alliance since Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. became president of the Philippines two years ago. Unlike his predecessor, who favored an opening with China, Mr. Marcos has leaned into ties with the United States.

Mr. Marcos, who lived in Hawaii while his family was in political exile and has met President Biden one-on-one multiple times since taking office, hosted a meeting on Tuesday of the top diplomatic and military officials from both nations in Manila. It was the first time that such a so-called 2+2 session between the allied nations has taken place in the Philippines.

Mr. Biden has made alliance-building a hallmark of his foreign policy, especially in Europe and Asia, where different sets of alliances are aimed at countering or deterring military action by two nuclear-armed superpowers that are partners with each other — Russia and China. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III arrived in Manila on Monday night as part of a diplomatic mission to the Indo-Pacific region.

The backdrop of the talks in Manila was a fraught one: Not only have Chinese coast guard vessels carried out more hostile actions against Philippine naval ships in recent months in the South China Sea, but Mr. Marcos and other Asian leaders are wondering who will take over from Mr. Biden as the U.S. president next January. Will it be Kamala Harris, the current vice president and presumed Democratic nominee, or Donald J. Trump, the former president who says U.S. military alliances are a waste of resources?

Mr. Marcos remarked to Mr. Blinken and Mr. Austin on the circumstances of their visit at the presidential palace on Tuesday morning.