MANILA, May 31 -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reaffirmed the United States' commitment to bolstering defense cooperation with the Philippines, as he described the two nations' partnership as key to helping keep peace and stability in the Indo Pacific region.

This was after Hegseth met with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 30.

In a readout, the US Department of Defense (DOD) said the two discussed "steps the two countries are taking together to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific," as well as ways to "further enhance Alliance readiness."

"The Secretaries noted the importance of partnership and transparency in deterring China and committed to continued pr...