US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would emphasize his country’s commitment to freedom of the seas when he visits Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, late this month. At a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, Austin said he would also “make clear” where the United States stands on “some unhelpful and unfounded claims by China in the South China Sea.”

Santos, T. G. (2021, July 23). US defense chief set to arrive July 29. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A9.