US pledges $259 mn to SE Asian nations for maritime security
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MANILA (AFP) - The United States said Tuesday it would provide $259 million to its Southeast Asian allies for maritime security, as regional tensions rise over Chinese island-building in the South China Sea.
In a statement coinciding with a visit by US President Barack Obama to the Philippines, the White House said it would commit $119 million in the 2015 financial year, with another $140 million earmarked for the following year.
