US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the US commitment to the Philippines is "ironclad." He says Americans have worked for decades alongside their partners to promote peace across the Indo-Pacific.

Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with their Philippine counterparts, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, in Washington on Tuesday to explore what more they can do to bolster security.

Austin said, "The United States and the Philippines are bound by a common vision for the future, a vision that's anchored in the rule of law and freedom of the seas."

Galvez said, "We agreed to explore new areas of cooperation and deepen our existing partnership in key areas such as mutual defense, maritime security, and information intelligence."

The ministers say they will draw a roadmap to guide them over the next five to ten years. They want to be sure they are prepared for "future crises" and have already reached an agreement that allows American troops to use five bases in the Philippines. The troops will soon have access to four more facilities.

Some US and Philippine troops are taking part in their largest ever joint exercises. More than 17,000 personnel will train together over the next three weeks. For the first time, some will run through live-fire drills to sink an old Philippine navy ship in the South China Sea.

Some Filipinos fear the exercise will only escalate tensions. On Tuesday, they held protests outside the US Embassy in Manila.

Chinese leaders have already accused their US counterparts of "jeopardizing regional peace and stability."