Philippines military keen to keep U.S. troop deal - minister

By Karen Lema
MANILA, Feb 11 (Reuters) - The Philippines defence apparatus
wants to keep a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United
States, its defence minister said on Thursday, as officials met
to settle differences over a pact central to Washington's Asia
strategy.
Thursday's meeting in Manila between U.S. and Philippine
officials comes after President Rodrigo Duterte, who openly
disapproves of the U.S. alliance, unilaterally cancelled the
two-decade-old VFA last year, in an angry response to an ally
being denied a visa.
The withdrawal period has been twice extended, however, to
create what Philippine officials say is a window for better
terms to be agreed.
"We at the defence department and the armed forces, the
general feeling is for the VFA to continue," Defence Secretary
Delfin Lorenzana told news channel ANC.
The meeting is the first under U.S. President Joe Biden's
administration, which has reaffirmed the alliance in the face of
China's growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Lorenzana said the VFA, which sets out rules for U.S.
soldiers operating in the Philippines, has been vital in
boosting the capabilities of under-resourced Philippine forces
through dozens of annual joint training exercises.
Its importance was stressed by U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin
during a call with Lorenzana on Wednesday.
Ties between the United States and its former colony have
been complicated by Duterte's rise to power in 2016 and his
frequent statements condemning U.S. foreign policy, and open
embrace of China.
But while the Philippines-U.S. relationship "has always been
strong", Lorenzana said the Southeast Asian nation "should not
be made to choose" between Washington and Beijing.
Lorenzana has also expressed concern about a new Chinese law
empowering coastguard to fire on what it sees as threats, and
repeated U.S. navy patrols that China sees as provocations.
"I told Secretary Austin we don't want any miscalculations
or accidents in the South China Sea because we are right smack
there in the centre of conflict," Lorenzana said.

(Editing by Martin Petty)