Manila, Aug. 13 -- A senior fellow of the influential US-based Heritage Foundation on Tuesday said it is in Washington's interest to increase military support for the Philippines as the United States shifts defense priorities from Europe and the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific.

Heritage Foundation Senior Policy Advisor for Defense Budgeting Wilson Beaver said Manila is expected to be a top US priority, citing China as its "far and away the biggest strategic challenge" for US.

"The Heritage Foundation starts from the point of view that China is far and away the biggest strategic challenge for the United States and therefore our budget and force posture should reflect that," he told reporters on the sidelines of the Stratbase ADR Institut...