US Joint Chiefs chairman arrives in Manila for defense talks

US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Air Force General Charles Q. Brown Jr. has arrived in Manila for a series of engagements with Philippine military officials, including Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

General Brown's visit aims to strengthen the long-standing defense relationship between the US and the Philippines and discuss regional stability.

He is also scheduled to visit an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) site in the Philippines.

The US military chief emphasized the Philippines as one of the US's oldest treaty allies in the region and highlighted shared interests in regional stability backed by international law.

Brown's trip to the Indo-Pacific also includes a visit to Japan to meet with government and military leaders on deterrence and security cooperation, as well as visiting US service members at Yokota Air Base.