The United States on Tuesday reaffirmed for the nth time its “ironclad” commitments to the Philippines amid the recent aggressive actions of China in the West Philippine Sea, which the US has labeled a “threat” to the
Indo-Pacific Region.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed during a joint press conference with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo that Washington is ready to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with Manila.

“We have a shared concern about the PRC actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone,” Blinken said.

He cited the aggressive actions of the China Coast Guard against Philippine vessels engaged in regular resupply missions to Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal. These actions included the use of water cannons, close shadowing, blocking, and other dangerous maneuvers.

“These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security and economy, but they’re also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world,” Blinken said.

“It’s why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the Mutual Defense Treaty,” he added.

Blinken emphasized the importance of bolstering the relationship between the United States and the Philippines as he paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on Tuesday afternoon.

“I think it’s so important to us, even as we’re dealing with these challenges, our focus, our engagement, our commitment to the Indo-Pacific at large, and to the relationship and the alliance between the United States and the Philippines that is more than rock solid,” Blinken said.

President Marcos extended a warm welcome to Blinken and acknowledged the challenges both countries face.

“I am happy that… this chance to come by and visit with us, and perhaps, it wasn’t that ideal with how [our outings] are progressing with the rest of the world. All of these impact us now, how these things are developing...to any other countries,” Marcos said.

“I hope that all these efforts we are making are having some success because it is of great importance to [us too, as you well know, we have spoken about this before.] These things are somehow toned down, I can’t see how you are going to do that. Some easing tension, seen in the near future,” he added.

Blinken stresses MDT

Citing Article IV of the MDT,  Blinken reiterated that “any attack on Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke” the defense pact with the Philippines.

In 1951, the Philippines and the US agreed that an armed attack on either of the parties in the Pacific would trigger the MDT in accordance with each country’s constitutional processes.

Blinken hailed what he described as the “extremely successful” efforts of the Philippine government in “pursuing and asserting” its rights in the West Philippine Sea.

“The world has also seen the very actions that you described taken by China in violation of international law and Filipino rights, and the very visibility of those actions,” he said.

“I think this provoked from a number of countries clear statements in support of the Philippines against those provocative actions that are a threat to peace, security, freedom of navigation, and basic rights under international law,” he added.

Blinken also noted that it is “intensively” engaging in diplomacy with other countries “so that countries come together or even individually to reaffirm international law, [and] to reaffirm the rights that everyone is entitled to.”

Trilateral meet coming up

He underscored the importance of the upcoming trilateral summit among the US, the Philippines, and Japan next month in Washington.

“The trilateral with Japan is a very important platform for building even greater stability and deepening peace,” he said.

Jom Garner and Tiziana Piatos