The US and the Philippines on Wednesday agreed on new guidelines for the 1951 US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty that formalize the US commitment to going to war if Philippine vessels come under attack in the South China Sea.
For years now, US officials have pledged to the Philippines that it would intervene in the event of a Chinese attack in the South China Sea. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came to Washington this week looking to put the commitment in writing.
The guidelines are the first update to the Mutual Defense Treaty since 1951 and specify that the treaty applies to the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims.
“The guidelines reaffirm that an armed attack in the Pacific, including anywhere in the South China Sea, on either of their public vessels, aircraft, or armed forces – which includes their Coast Guards – would invoke mutual defense commitments under Articles IV and V of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon said the guidelines also take into account that “threats may arise in several domains – including land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace – and take the form of asymmetric, hybrid, and irregular warfare and gray-zone tactics.” The guidelines “chart a way forward to build interoperability in both conventional and non-conventional domains.”
The new commitments come amid soaring tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. Ahead of Marcos’ trip to Washington, Chinese and Philippine vessels came close to colliding near Second Thomas Shoal, a Philippine-controlled reef in the South China Sea that is also claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Chinese and Philippine boats often have stand-offs in the disputed waters. The US is considering conducting joint patrols or helping the Philippines resupply a grounded ship it uses as a base on Second Thomas Shoal, which could lead to dangerous encounters between US and Chinese vessels.
The guidelines are the latest in a series of steps the US has taken to boost military ties with the Philippines. Washington and Manila recently signed a deal giving the US access to four more military bases in the Philippines, including three in the north that could be used as staging grounds to fight a war over Taiwan. Last month, the long-time treaty allies conducted their largest-ever joint military exercises.
It seems to me that the US/NATO, ways and means, is outdated and needs to be overhauled. If you are looking for a problem, you will find it. Time to get on the other side of that: find a peaceful solution.
It needs to be disbanded and tossed into the dustbin of history.
If we aren’t willing to go to war then every one of those bases of ours over there need to be closed.
Why are they there otherwise?
If the Philippines want to claim those waters, that’s their business (just as it is for all those others mentioned who are disputing China’s expansionist claims as well as their neighbors’ claims) but if we are going to be there, we darn well better be ready and willing or come home.
google = The U.S. has about 750 overseas military bases in more than 80 countries. what
I thought we were pushing 1000 but perhaps that is a definition arguement?
Amazing how countries that we offer “defense commitments” to haven’t yet learned from history that it’s in their best interests to just walk (or run !) away.
You would think that a former US Colony would have learned something about its “benefactor” by now.
Except that leaders who do run have this strange tendency to end up deposed or dead.
1. the BS
Austin also echoed President Joe Biden’s message that the US’ commitment to defend the Philippines, as stipulated in the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, “is ironclad.”
“So, make no mistake Mr. President, we will always have your back in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region,” he said. . . here
2. the facts
Mutual Defense Treaty Between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines; August 30, 1951
ARTICLE IV
Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall be immediately reported to the Security Council of the United Nations. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.
ARTICLE V
For the purpose of Article IV, an armed attack on either of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.
That link of yours had nothing to do with what you shared.
It better not be malware.
Thanks — I can’t explain it. I used a Yale URL — https://avalon.law.yale. . .etc — which works by itself but somehow turned to garbage when used as a link. So google the title above and see the MDT. And a reminder to me to test my links in the future.
here is what i assume to be a link towards your reference =
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_Defense_Treaty_(United_States%E2%80%93South_Korea)#:~:text=Mutual%20Defense%20Treaty%20between%20the%20United%20States%20and,halt%20to%20the%20fighting%20in%20the%20Korean%20War.
maybe i am way off base but anyway IMO you Mr. Bacon are not trying to fool anybody, so hey everybody; you mess with Mr. Bacon and you mess with me. and “”if you mess around with me then you are messing with fire – and if you mess around with fire you’re gonna get yourself burned!””
(those are some lyrics to a rock song that i wrote in the late ’80s) – – what
I feel like these commitments that US is selling, is a hard sell to their customers which they will regret later and ask for a refund.
If this really was a dispute over fishing rights, I’m pretty sure that the Philippines and China could come to an amicable agreement without setting up a scenario that everybody involved in the dispute realizes will likely start a global war.
When someone keeps punching you, it is only a matter of time before you retaliate. Uncle Shame needs a bloody nose. There wont be a global war because US can’t win it.