US pledges to protect ally Philippines

US President Joe Biden (right) welcomes Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House on May 1 (Photo: Reuters).

In the first White House visit by a Philippine leader in 10 years, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 1 stressed the importance of the United States as the Philippines' sole treaty ally in a region with "arguably the most complex geopolitical situation in the world today."

US officials said the two leaders agreed on new guidelines for stronger military cooperation, as well as boosting economic cooperation, underscoring the dramatic change in US-Philippine relations over the past year.

"The United States remains unwavering in our commitment to the defense of the Philippines, including in the South China Sea," Biden told Marcos in the Oval Office, reaffirming the 1951 mutual defense treaty between the two countries.

US officials confirmed that the two countries will strengthen military coordination on land, sea, air, space and cyberspace. The US government also pledged to transfer three C-130 transport planes and patrol boats to the Philippines.

The Philippines is an important ally of the United States in the Asian region. In 2014, the two sides signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) allowing the United States to have a greater presence at Philippine military bases.

The Philippines has recently had a series of policies that demonstrate the government 's pivot to resume its traditional defense cooperation relationship with the United States.

As of now, the US is allowed to use nine bases in the Philippines, three of which are located in the northern Philippines, including a naval base and an air base in Cagayan province, and a barracks in neighboring Isabela province. One naval base is located in Santa Ana, Cagayan province, about 400km from Taiwan. The remaining base is located on Balabac Island, near the South China Sea.

The Philippine President’s Office confirmed that the above bases were assessed by the Philippine military as suitable and beneficial to both sides. The statement further stated that the bases will also be used for humanitarian relief operations in case of disasters.

Some local government officials in areas where EDCA bases are located worry that they could be drawn into regional tensions. However, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has insisted that the Philippines will not allow its bases to be used for any offensive action.

China has criticized the Philippines' decision to strengthen military ties with the United States, urging Manila to stay on the right track. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman warned that the Philippines' decision to expand military bases with the United States could drag Manila "into the vortex of a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait."

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/my-cam-ket-bao-ve-dong-minh-philippines-20230502084459317.htm