PHMANILA, Philippines — Further escalation in the contested waters of the South China Sea, like an armed attack on the Philippine vessels, would trigger the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States.
The US Defense Department, in a statement, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III made the pronouncement after speaking with Philippine Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday.
Austin and Galvez conducted the bilateral meeting after the February 6 incident when a Chinese Coast Guard illuminated a green light twice toward the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, which was supporting a rotation and resupply mission of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
The two Defense chiefs discussed “concerning developments in the South China Sea, including a recent incident in which the People’s Republic of China Coast Guard directed a military-grade laser at the crew of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel lawfully operating around Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal).”
“He reiterated that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, aircraft, and public vessels, including those of its Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” the statement further stated.
Signed by two parties on August 30, 1951, the MDT states that both countries would support each other if an external party attacked either the Philippines or the United States.
But for retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, China’s laser attack “constitutes an armed attack” which in turn, could already enable the MDT between US and the Philippines.
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