(Photo : Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that Washington will uphold its long-standing commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that the United States would defend the Philippines if attacked in the South China Sea amid increasing tensions and the threat of war in the region.
Blinken declared on Saturday that a 70-year-old defense agreement with the Philippines was "ironclad" during discussions in Manila where talk of intensifying US-China tensions over US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's travel to Taiwan predominated, per a report from CNN.
"An armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft will invoke US mutual defense commitments under that treaty," Blinken told a news conference.
"The Philippines is an irreplaceable friend, partner, and ally to the United States."
The Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) is an agreement between the US and the Philippines signed on August 30, 1951. It states when either of the allies was attacked by an outside force, they would support one another.
Blinken said: "We're committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty. We're committed to working with you on shared challenges. What's so striking to me, Mr. President, is that (we're) working together on bilateral relations between us, we're working together in the region, and increasingly, we're working globally."
The 70-year-old joint military agreement, according to Marcos, is continually evolving.
"The Mutual Defense Treaty is in constant evolution. I'd like to think of it. As I spoke with your Ambassador sometime when she came, is that we cannot, we can no longer isolate one part of our relationship from the other," Marcos said.
He added that the US and the Philippines are "too closely tied" because of the special relationship and the history that the two countries share, the Philippine News Agency reported.
The son of the late strongman, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., whom Washington assisted in fleeing into exile in Hawaii after a 1986 "people power" movement that ended his two-decade rule, met Blinken, who was the highest-ranking US official to do so.
Maraming Salamat, Philippines! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and am grateful for our enduring alliance, partnership, and friendship that advances our shared prosperity, security, and values in the #IndoPacific region. pic.twitter.com/T1NafAZyH2
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 6, 2022
Marcos Under Pressure as US-China Tensions Rise
In his opening address to Blinken, Marcos attempted to downplay the diplomatic crisis surrounding Taiwan and expressed his opinion that Pelosi's visit did not worsen an already tense situation.
Marcos said the tensions "have been at that level for a good while, but we have sort of got used to the idea."
The Philippines serves as a focal point for the US and China's geopolitical struggle, and Marcos must navigate a thin balance in retaining relations between the two superpowers.
Additionally, he will be under domestic pressure to oppose China in the South China Sea without upsetting the country's leadership.
Predecessor Rodrigo Duterte's overtures to China, well-known anti-US rhetoric, and threats to decrease their military connections caused the US-Philippines relationship to be impacted.
Washington To Boost Economic Ties with Manila
In addition to protecting the Philippines' maritime domain, he stated that the US would continue to work with Filipino scientists and fishermen to protect the nation's marine resources, which he claimed were being threatened by illegal fishing.
Blinken also emphasized that the Biden administration was eager to strengthen business connections with the Philippines, which is a top goal for Marcos as he works to rebuild the nation's economy after it was severely damaged by the COVID-19 outbreak, per Rappler.
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