sinardaily.my on Nostr: Why would the US defend the Philippines? ========== Relations between the United ...
Why would the US defend the Philippines?
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Relations between the United States and the Philippines have been in overdrive since President Ferdinand Marcos took power in June 2022, fueled by China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region. The Philippines is a major focus of US efforts to strengthen regional alliances due to its close proximity to the South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory. Manila and Washington have a complex history but have remained bound by a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty. Top Biden administration officials have repeatedly said that 'an armed attack' against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces, and coastguard anywhere in the South China Sea would invoke the treaty. The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometers and is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. The US has no territorial claim over the waters or features, but regularly conducts patrols there. The Duterte years were a rocky time for US-Philippine ties as Manila pivoted away from Washington and towards Beijing in the hope of extracting investment and trade. Duterte also set aside the international ruling rejecting China's claims to most of the South China Sea, and threatened to axe the 2014 defense agreement allowing US troops on Philippine soil. However, President Ferdinand Marcos dramatically changed course when he took office, publicly standing up to Chinese actions in the waterway and giving the United States access to more Philippine military bases. President Joe Biden has reiterated the United States' 'ironclad' commitment to defend the Philippines.
#UsphilippinesRelations #SouthChinaSea #MutualDefenceTreaty #China
https://www.sinardaily.my/article/217130/focus/world/why-would-the-us-defend-the-philippines
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Relations between the United States and the Philippines have been in overdrive since President Ferdinand Marcos took power in June 2022, fueled by China's growing assertiveness in the Asia-Pacific region. The Philippines is a major focus of US efforts to strengthen regional alliances due to its close proximity to the South China Sea and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory. Manila and Washington have a complex history but have remained bound by a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty. Top Biden administration officials have repeatedly said that 'an armed attack' against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces, and coastguard anywhere in the South China Sea would invoke the treaty. The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometers and is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. The US has no territorial claim over the waters or features, but regularly conducts patrols there. The Duterte years were a rocky time for US-Philippine ties as Manila pivoted away from Washington and towards Beijing in the hope of extracting investment and trade. Duterte also set aside the international ruling rejecting China's claims to most of the South China Sea, and threatened to axe the 2014 defense agreement allowing US troops on Philippine soil. However, President Ferdinand Marcos dramatically changed course when he took office, publicly standing up to Chinese actions in the waterway and giving the United States access to more Philippine military bases. President Joe Biden has reiterated the United States' 'ironclad' commitment to defend the Philippines.
#UsphilippinesRelations #SouthChinaSea #MutualDefenceTreaty #China
https://www.sinardaily.my/article/217130/focus/world/why-would-the-us-defend-the-philippines