U.S. Unveils Philippine Task Force to Deter Chinese Coercion
American and Philippine defense secretaries unveiled a task force designed to deter Chinese coercion in the South China Sea and enhance alliance defense cooperation. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro announced “Task Force Philippines” on Friday at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Defense Ministers Meeting Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “We’re publicly announcing the Task Force Philippines, here with you today, which will be another step in our cooperation. Increasing interoperability, exercising and preparedness for contingencies―so that we can decisively respond to crisis or aggression and reestablish deterrence in the South China








