Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Amid China’s “provocative actions,” United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, March 19, affirmed Washington’s plan to continue supporting the Philippines so it “can be in the strongest possible position” to affirm its rights in the disputed South China Sea.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken (File Photo/AFP)
During his two-day visit to the Philippines, the high-ranking US official expressed its desire to capacitate the Philippines in terms of maritime and economic.
“In terms of what we are doing, we are engaged in terms of intense diplomacy as the Philippines so that countries come together or even individually to reaffirm international law, reaffirm rights that everyone is entitled to. That’s important,” he told reporters during a press conference at the Sofitel Manila.
Blinken added that “for many years,” the United States has had “major investments in the capacity of the Philippines” in terms of maritime capacity and economic capacity.
“So, I think the response really has been and continues to be a comprehensive one, so that the Philippines can be in the strongest possible position to affirm its rights as it has been doing and properly so,” he added.
Blinken also commended the Philippines for being “extremely successful” asserting its rights under the law.”
“We see that. The world sees that. The world is seeing the grey actions you described taken by China in violation of international law and Filipino rights,” the official said.
He added that “the very visibility of those actions, I think has provoked a number of other countries” to come out with “clear statements in support of the Philippines and against these provocative actions that are threat to peace, security, freedom of navigation, and basic rights under international law.”
During the press conference, the US state secretary also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), a defense agreement between Washington and Manila that can compel both countries to come to each other’s aid in case of an armed attack in the region.
He furthered that Article 4 of the MDT stated that “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”
“We have been clear and consistent about that,” Blinken emphasized.
Meanwhile, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo expressed hopes that the United States will continue to support the Philippines not only through trade and investment, but also in various areas, such as renewable energy, climate action, infrastructure, and other similar areas.
“I think this only helps strengthen the economic security of the Philippines and our economic resilience,” he said, adding that “defense and security measures” will also help Manila enhance its security.
“I think all of these work together to provide an appropriate way of addressing our security challenges in our region.”
Manalo also stressed that in terms of resolving the territorial disputes with China, Manila “has always maintained the policy of addressing any disputes and managing them through diplomatic means, and through peaceful means.”
But while the Philippines is committed to a diplomatic resolution, the DFA chief said that “when we do so, it should be in accordance to our national interest, our sovereign rights, and firmly based on rule of international law, including maritime law, and more specifically the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).”
“And I think we got a lot of support from countries, most especially the United States, in the approach we have been taking and we appreciate that very much,” he added.
Manila and Beijing have been at the forefront of the territorial disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea, with Manila being awarded a 2016 Arbitral Tribunal win
The ruling denied the nine-dash line, the basis of China’s historical claims over the islands and waters of the entire South China Sea, including the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of its neighbors.
— Raymund Antonio
*****
Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
