As tensions over China escalate, Washington supports its friend by approving a $5.58 billion sale of F-16 fighter planes to the Philippines on Tuesday.

The sale of 20 F-16 airplanes and associated equipment to the Philippines, a treaty-bound ally of the United States, was approved, according to the State Department.

The sale would strengthen the security of a vital ally that remains a significant force for political stability, peace, and economic advancement in Southeast Asia, the State Department said in a statement.

It further stated that the sale will improve the Philippine Air Force’s capacity to defeat hostile air defenses and perform maritime domain awareness.

President Donald Trump’s administration has aimed to reduce US military engagement in Europe in spite of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and shift US military resources to Asia in order to confront a growing China, particularly as tensions over Taiwan increase.

In the South China Sea, tensions between China and the Philippines have been rising for months.

An international court has ruled that Beijing’s claim over nearly the whole vital waterway is unfounded.

During a recent trip to Manila, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged to restore deterrence in the Indo-Pacific area in response to Communist Chinese threats.

Reiterating US security obligations to the Philippines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio contrasts this with the Trump administration’s repeated claims of freeloading the US by allies in Europe.