Manila: The United States has refused to side with the Philippines in the latter’s standoff with China, an American military chief said following a meeting with his counterpart which ended with the signing of five terms of references to reaffirm the two countries’ “strategic partnership”.

“The US is concerned about anything that creates potential disruption to the security [in the South China Sea],” said the US Pacific Command (UPASCOM) Chief Adm. Samuel Locklear after his meeting with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Jessie Dellosa at the military Camp Aguinaldo in suburban Quezon City. “We don’t take sides. It must be dealt with peacefully through the international forum... that’s the only way.”

Although the US is concerned about the intensifying conflict between China and the Philippines over sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, Locklear said the main concern of the US in the Asia Pacific included freedom of navigation and decreasing the number of transnational extremist groups and criminals.

Dellosa and Locklear signed five terms of reference (TOR) for the coming year, which include the transfer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from the Mutual Defense Board (MDB) to the Security and Engagement Board (SEB); the designation of SEB to deal with issues such as piracy, cyber security and disasters; the creation of a technology and experimentation subcommittee on civil-military operations; the creation of the humanitarian and disaster response working group; and the activation of a counter-terrorism working group.

Locklear said: “The Philippines is in the middle of the area [Pacific]. It’s a dynamic part of the world. The US only has seven treaty allies and the Philippines is one of the cornerstones of these alliances so as we move forward we talk about how do we strengthen it and to preserve the national interest of both parties.”

Dellosa said the meeting was held to firm up the holding of joint war games between the US and the Philippines, which began with the ratification of the US-Philippine Visiting Forces of Agreement (VSA) in 1998, while adding that he and Locklear did not focus on the conflict with China.

There will be a “minor change” in the US-Philippines joint war games in 2013, said Dellosa, adding that they did not talk about increasing the number of US forces joining the military exercises next year.

“This [partnership] will serve as a mechanism for consultations [of the two countries] on mutual security concerns,” said Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. “This [agreement] will also serve as a venue for mutually agreed upon activities and arrangements involving both countries.”

MDB heads Locklear and Dellosa held their last meeting this year, in preparation for US-Philippines joint war games next year.

The two countries are bound by the mutual defense treaty (MDT) they signed in 1951.

Philippine officials have been invoking the MDT since China started flexing its naval and maritime might in the South China Sea following a standoff which began near the Scarborough Shoal in April, but the US has always shown reluctance to be dragged into the conflict.

A provision of the MDT says the US and the Philippines should separately or jointly maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attacks.