Defense secretaries of the Philippines and the United States (US) have declared that the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) applies to both countries in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, both defense secretaries reaffirmed US support for the Philippines in the wake of the recent West Philippine Sea incident involving China.
The two countries also committed to redouble efforts to strengthen bilateral coordination, interoperability, and support for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The MDT was signed in 1951 and stipulated that an attack on either party in the Pacific region would trigger mutual defense and assistance.
This reaffirmation of the MDT comes amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, where China has been increasingly assertive in its territorial claims.
The United States has contested China’s territorial assertion through increased military operations and a stronger naval footprint in the area, while also enhancing its backing for Southeast Asian allies like the Philippines.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 27, 2023
