Categories: World

Taiwan tensions spur US and Philippines to cement military cooperation

<p>
With Chinese extensive military deployment around Taiwan rattling the region, the Philippines is eager to strengthen defence cooperation with the US. The US, which already has troops in bases on Filipino territory, has assured the south-east Asian nation of protection in case of an armed attack.<br />
<br />
In the Philippines on Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the Philippines is an "irreplaceable ally" while the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reflecting on the Taiwan Strait tensions said: "…the visit of your House Speaker Nancy Pelosi coming here… I did not think it raised the intensity; it just demonstrated how the intensity of the conflict has been…".</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
"We always stand by our partners. It's important to remember that," <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBlinken</a> said in a joint briefing with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, as the top diplomat repeated the U.S.'s "ironclad" commitment to the defense pact.<a href="https://t.co/iSf0yVmmmD">https://t.co/iSf0yVmmmD</a></p>
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) <a href="https://twitter.com/starsandstripes/status/1556154419497947137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
China's aggressive posturing towards Taiwan, in the wake of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei, has shaken up the region. Countries in south-east Asia are worried as Beijing has territorial conflicts with many in the South China Sea (SCS).</p>
<p>
In Blinken's visit, the highest-ranking US official to visit Manila after Ferdinand Marcos Jr became President this June, the two nations reaffirmed their decades-old defence alliance. They are governed by the Mutual Defence Treaty (MDT)–an agreement signed on 30 august 1951 that states that if either of the allies faces an armed attack, the other would come to its defence.<br />
 <br />
Emphasising that <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-philippine-president-ferdinand-romualdez-marcos-jr-before-their-meeting/">the US would defend</a> its allies in south-east Asia, Blinken told journalists: "An armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft will invoke US mutual defense commitments under that treaty. The Philippines is an irreplaceable friend, partner, and ally to the United States."</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
A pleasure to meet Philippine President <a href="https://twitter.com/bongbongmarcos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bongbongmarcos</a> to discuss ways to strengthen our longstanding alliance with the Philippines. I look forward to deepening our collaboration to advance freedom, prosperity, and security across the Indo-Pacific. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USPHThrivingAt75?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USPHThrivingAt75</a> <a href="https://t.co/rSjxD6mxJC">pic.twitter.com/rSjxD6mxJC</a></p>
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1555800863980937216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
US and the Philippines relations had come under strain under previous President Rodrigo Duterte, who was opposed to the continued presence of US troops on Filipino soil. Duterte had tried to move closer to China at the cost of bilateral relations with the US. That scenario changed as Beijing began to assert itself in the region.</p>
<p>
Duterte even watered down the historic arbitration case that the Philippines had won against Beijing over islands in the disputed SCS that belonged to Manila rather than Beijing. During his rule he also decided to unilaterally end the US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement that allowed for the deployment and rotation of American soldiers on bases in the country.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2022/08/03/commentary/world-commentary/new-marcos-administration-2/">For almost a hundred years</a>, the country has fallen back on the US for its security and defence needs. To that extent, Ferdinand Marcos Jr has restored the nation's foreign policy to what it had been for a long time–go back to the US.<br />
<br />
The new president seems keen to restore ties with the US not just in the fields of defence but also in areas of technology and health cooperation.<br />
<br />
With China unleashing live-fire drills with a vengeance and a blockade of Taiwan, the public mood in the Philippines which has largely always been positive towards the US is now beginning to swing further to the US. For President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. it will be a tight rope walk – doing the balancing act between two warring powers.</p>

Rahul Kumar

Rahul Kumar writes on international issues and is a keen watcher of South Asia, environment, urban development and NGOs.

Recent Posts

VINBAX 2024: Vietnam-India bilateral army exercise concludes at Kaushalya Dam

The fifth edition of the historic Indo-Vietnam Joint Field Training Exercise, VINBAX-2024, successfully concluded its…

14 hours ago

India-Russia strengthen defence ties at 22nd Working Group meeting on military technical cooperation

The 22nd meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Military technical cooperation and defence industry…

15 hours ago

“I want to have strong representation of India at World Nuclear Exhibition 2025”: Sylvie Bermann

Sylvie Bermann, President of the World Nuclear Exhibition expressed confidence in India's nuclear supply chain…

16 hours ago

PoJK: Joint Awami Action Committee protests against government following new ordinance, many injured

Joint Awami Action Committee core member Shaukat Nawaz Mir has condemned the attack of police…

16 hours ago

PM Modi meets 31 world leaders, heads of organisations during his 3-nation foreign visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in 31 Bilateral Meetings and informal interactions with global leaders…

18 hours ago

India- Australia conduct 11th Indian Air Force-Royal Australian Air Force Air Staff Talks

India and Australia conducted the 11th edition of the Indian Air Force and Royal Australian…

19 hours ago