US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said advanced military capabilities will be deployed to the Philippines along with joint training to increase deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.



Hegseth met Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro in Manila on Friday.



Hegseth told reporters after the meeting that the Indo-Pacific region faces Chinese aggression. He said the US will work with its allies and partners to "establish the deterrence necessary to prevent war."



He announced that the US will deploy the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and unmanned surface vessels. He added that these will be used in a joint exercise scheduled for April.



The NMESIS system uses remotely operated vehicles to launch anti-ship missiles with a range of over 180 kilometers.



Hegseth also announced the two countries will conduct special-operations forces training in the Batanes Islands, near Taiwan. He added they will practice complex landing scenarios to enhance interoperability between their forces.



Coinciding with his visit, ships from Japan, the United States and the Philippines, including the Japanese frigate Noshiro, carried out joint exercises in the South China Sea on Friday.



Beijing is increasing coercive activities in the area.