US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has assured the Philippines of continued "ironclad" support from the United States amid rising tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea. UNN writes about this with reference to dpa.
Details
During his visit to the Philippines, Blinken stated that the disputed sea is an important waterway not only for the Philippines, but also for the region, the United States, and the world.
These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy. They are also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world. That's why we stand with the Philippines and honor our ironclad defense commitments, including our mutual defense treaty
He spoke about the 1951 defense pact, which provides for mutual military assistance to both countries in the event of an external attack.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized Blinken's statements. Since the United States is not a party to the South China Sea, it has no right to interfere, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in Beijing.
Recall
Last year, Manila and Washington signed an expanded defense agreement and identified four new locations for U.S. military bases in the region. The Philippines is Washington's oldest treaty partner in the region.
The Philippines is facing increasing aggression from China in the disputed South China Sea, where Chinese vessels recently blocked Philippine boats carrying supplies for troops stationed on a sunken warship.
On the eve of Blinken's visit to Manila, Washington announced that a summit of the leaders of the United States, the Philippines, and Japan would be held on April 11 to discuss various issues, including peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.