Clinton stresses U.S.-Philippine ties

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaffirmed the military ties between the United States and the Philippines Wednesday during a trip to the island nation. Her visit comes amid mounting tensions among a number of Southeast Asian nations over claims to the oil-rich Spratly Islands, which some experts estimate could have energy reserves rivaling Arab states, The New York Times reported. "We are making sure that our collective defense capabilities and communications infrastructure are operationally and materially capable of deterring provocations from the full spectrum of state and non-state actors," Clinton said aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Fitzgerald. While in the Philippines, Clinton signed an agreement to promote economic growth and attended a public forum. Clinton repeated the U.S. position that territorial disputes in the South China Sea should be settled peacefully, referring to the disputed area by the local name, the West Philippine Sea, the Times said. "We are strongly of the opinion that disputes that exist primarily in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China should be resolved peacefully," she said during a news conference with Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario. "Any nation with a claim has a right to exert it, but they do not have a right to pursue it through intimidation or coercion."