April 19, 2016

"Carter said on Thursday that the US had started joint patrols with the Philippines in the sea and would be keeping almost 300 troops in the country through the end of the month.

'We want to reduce tensions, but we also want everybody in the region to be able to rise and develop in their own way - including the Philippines, by the way, which happens also to be a longstanding and very staunch treaty ally of the United States', Carter said."

Read more:

http://quadrangleonline.com/2016/04/19/carter-says-china-still-invited-to-us-led-naval-exercise/