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Joint Statement of The U.S.-philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (2023)
Joint Statement of The U.S.-philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (2023)
Joint Statement of The U.S.-philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (2023)
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The Secretaries welcomed and built on commitments made at the 10th Bilateral
Strategic Dialogue, held in Manila on January 19 and 20, 2023, encompassing topics
such as defense, climate and energy policy, sustainable and inclusive economic growth,
food security, maritime affairs, civil space cooperation, and democracy and human
rights.
Respect for the Rules-Based Order in the Indo-Pacific and Around the World
Called on the PRC to fully comply with the final and legally binding 2016 Arbitral
Award on the South China Sea. The Award, which was constituted under the 1982
Law of the Sea Convention, is final and legally binding on the parties, and validates
the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction with respect to its EEZ and
continental shelf, including maritime areas in the vicinity of Reed Bank, Mischief
Reef, and Second Thomas Shoal also known in the Philippines as Recto Bank,
Panganiban Reef, and Ayungin Shoal, respectively;
Noted with concern recent reports regarding further conduct of covert land
reclamation on unoccupied features in the Spratly Islands and rejected the use of
reclamation as a means of rationalizing or propagating unlawful maritime claims, in
direct contravention of the principles outlined in the 2002 Declaration on the
Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea;
Reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan
Strait as an indispensable element of global security and prosperity;
Alliance Modernization
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including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace — and effective responses. The
Secretaries highlighted their intent to work toward building interoperability and
cooperation in both conventional and non-conventional domains.
Finalize plans for the resumption of combined maritime activities, including the
conduct of joint sails by the U.S. and Philippine navies, in the South China Sea. Both
sides also discussed plans to conduct multilateral maritime activities with other
like-minded partners in the South China Sea later this year;
Continue dialogue and cooperation to advance the protection of human rights in the
security sector, and the promotion of the rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific
region.
Acknowledging that the Alliance must be able to address security in its broadest sense
and deliver direct, substantial and tangible benefits to our peoples and future
generations, the Secretaries committed to exploring additional avenues to enhance
economic engagement and to:
Further collaborate in building resilient supply chains and safeguarding critical and
emerging technologies. This includes working together to develop and build the
resilience of the Philippine and U.S. semiconductor industries;
Work together under the theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All”
to ensure the 2023 U.S. APEC host year is successful in advancing an
interconnected, innovative, and inclusive region;
Convene before the end of 2023 a kick-off planning session for the first meeting of
the Joint Committee under the 2019 Science and Technology Agreement, which is a
tool to promote scientific collaboration, build relationships between U.S. and
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Philippine scientific institutions, and provide opportunities to exchange ideas and
information to advance scientific and technological endeavors of mutual interest.
Particular consideration will be given with respect to virology and vaccines,
combating non-communicable diseases, and ridge-to-reef cooperation;
Build on successful multilateral civil space cooperation within the Asia Pacific
region. The United States and the Philippines are committed to holding our first
civil space bilateral dialogue in Washington by July 2023. The Secretaries further
committed to promote the use of space-based technology in supporting the
Philippines’ climate resiliency response and to advance mutual interest in the use of
remote sensing and Earth observation applications.
Enhance cooperation in addressing the climate crisis and prepare for and prevent
its worst impacts, including on vulnerable populations. To this end, the Secretaries
further committed to collaborate on assessments of climate threats, and
incorporating these assessments into joint planning, innovation, training,
investments and financing to accelerate and increase renewable energy capacity as
well as the grid expansion needed to facilitate its deployment, in support of the
Philippines’ clean energy transition. They welcomed the recent launch of the U.S.-
Philippines Offshore Wind Development Partnership as an important step towards
delivering crucial technical assistance to accelerate offshore wind development.
They also decided to explore partnerships and promote public-private initiatives on
climate transition financing;
Launch the Energy Policy Dialogue, a high-level platform for the two nations to
develop new forms of energy cooperation, including on short- and long-term
energy planning, offshore wind development, rooftop solar capabilities, nuclear
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energy for electricity generation, and grid stability and power transmission;
Continue to work together through negotiations under the four pillars of the Indo-
Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
Alliance Partnerships
Recognizing that the Alliance is more effective when acting in concert with other
likeminded partners, the Secretaries:
Reaffirmed their strong support for the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific
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and emphasized that partnerships and arrangements in the Indo-Pacific should
uphold ASEAN centrality in the evolving rules-based regional security architecture;
Finally, and most importantly, the Secretaries acknowledged the central role of people-
to-people ties—cultivated by generations of
Filipinos and Americans, including Filipino-Americans—in driving the bilateral
relationship forward. The Secretaries:
Noted the more than 8,000 Filipino alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange
programs, many of whom have risen to senior leadership positions in the
Philippines, and hailed the 75th anniversary of the Fulbright Philippines program,
which is the oldest continuing Fulbright Program in the world. The Secretaries also
committed to exploring new resources to support Fulbright’s efforts in developing
expertise that are critical to the partnership and alliance;
Recognized the vital contributions of the more than four million Filipino-Americans
to the progress and security of the United States. At the height of the COVID-19
pandemic, Filipino-American health professionals were among those at the
frontlines of protecting their communities. Filipino-Americans have made, and
continue to make, a positive impact as teachers, service members, artists, financial
and social services workers, tech innovators, and civil rights advocates. The
Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) and IMPACT! Program for Filipino-
Americans, which were developed in partnership with the Philippine Government,
are notable for helping to build a pipeline of Filipino-American leaders who
advocate for their communities’ interests and serve as a bridge between the two
countries; and
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Celebrated the continued array of exchanges, including two inaugural events
sponsored by the United States government within the preceding two months—the
first ever National Youth Development Alliance Summit, held in Davao, to
strengthen city government programs for employing and educating out-of-school
youth around the Philippines; and the first ever Civil Society Organization Summit
to Protect Philippine Marine Resources and Biodiversity in Puerto Princesa City,
Palawan, for the purpose of coordinating action for marine biodiversity
conservation and protection in the coastal areas of Northern Luzon, Mindoro, and
Palawan.
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