Just days after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the US to be committed militarily
to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with China, Philippine Defense
Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has called for his side to conduct a review
of the matter and decide whether they still want to be.
The question to be reviewed is whether this benefits the Philippines at
all. Though the US is constantly reiterating its military support for
the Philippines, Lorenzana noted that “the Philippines is not in a
conflict with anyone and will not be at war with anyone in the future.”
The same can’t necessarily be said of the US, as Lorenzana noted that the US is a lot more likely to get into a shooting war with China than the Philippines is. He is concerned that the 1951 treaty would automatically suck the Philippines into a war they don’t want.
The Pentagon has openly been making “freedom of navigation” operations
in the South China Sea specifically intended to needle China. Though
this is presented as being done for the benefit of the Philippines and
their maritime rights, the Philippine government didn’t ask them to, and
doesn’t want that war, if the US can manage to provoke it. It is clear
they feel the need to review the treaty before such a war starts, rather
than after.
Philippines Defense Secretary Wants Review of US Treaty to Avoid War With China
Questions value of Mutual Defense Treaty From 1951
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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