Philippines' defence chief says discusses S.China Sea situation with U.S. counterpart

The Philippine defence chief discussed the situation in the South China Sea with his U.S. counterpart in a telephone conference on Sunday, and said both sides were looking forward to conducting a joint military exercise called "Balikatan".

They also discussed recent developments in regional security, according to a statement issued by Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana's department. The U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin III reiterated the importance of the two countries' Visiting Forces Agreement.