SAN DIEGO: US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said America's alliance with the Philippines remains "ironclad" even though the Asian ally's leader has vowed to end joint military exercises.

The Pentagon chief's remarks came as he headed for a security summit in Hawaii, where concerns about Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, China's continued military expansion in the South China Sea, and the return of Islamic State group jihadists to the region were high on the agenda.

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