U.S. diplomat reminds Philippines of alliance a day before arbitration ruling

Kristie Kenney, a State Department counselor of the United States, on Monday reminded the Philippines of the alliance between their two countries.

Kenney made the remarks a day before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is set to announce its final decision Tuesday in territorial disputes between China and the Philippines.

China has reiterated that it will neither accept nor recognize any award in the South China Sea arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.

"You know our commitment to the Philippines is iron-clad. We're allies. We're friends. We're cultural partners. We have a treaty alliance. You know we will obviously respect that treaty alliance in every way," Kenney told ANC in an interview, reacting to a question regarding the upcoming ruling.

Kenney, a former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, arrived in Manila last Saturday. She is the first high-level U.S. official to meet Duterte administration representatives since the June 30 inauguration of the new government. Endit