The Philippines, a former US colony, is seen as central to Washington’s efforts to counter China’s more and more assertive insurance policies within the South China Sea and in direction of Taiwan.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday visited the Philippine Army’s Western Command on the island of Palawan close to the South China Sea, the place he reiterated Washington’s dedication to the Philippines below the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty .
“The Americans are deeply dedicated to the protection of the Philippines,” Austin mentioned in a joint information convention together with his Manila counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro.
“Our dedication to the Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad. Let me say as soon as once more that the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed assaults in opposition to our personal armed forces, public plane or vessels, together with our coast guards, wherever within the South China Sea,” Austin mentioned.
The Philippines and China have been embroiled in repeated disputes over disputed territory within the South China Sea in recent times, turning the strategic waterway into a possible flashpoint between Washington and Beijing.
China claims sovereignty over practically the entire South China Sea, a conduit for greater than $3 trillion in annual maritime commerce, placing it at odds with its Southeast Asian neighbors.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague mentioned in 2016 that China’s claims had no authorized foundation, siding with the Philippines which introduced the case. China rejects that call, however Washington, which helps it, says the choice is binding.
