US has ‘ironclad commitment’ to defend Philippines, says Blinken

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited the Philippines (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken of Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to defend the Philippines after clashes between Chinese and Filipino coastguards in the disputed South China Sea.

Mr Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the United States ally, met his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday before planned meetings with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and other top officials in Manila.