US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured the Philippines that the United States would come to its defense if attacked in the South China Sea
In meetings in Manila dominated by discussion on simmering US-China tensions over the Taiwan visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Blinken said a 70-year-old defense pact with the Philippines was"ironclad.""An armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft will invoke US mutual defense commitments under that treaty," Blinken told a news conference.
The Philippines is a fulcrum of the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China and Marcos faces a tricky challenge in balancing ties between the two major powers.He will also face domestic pressure to stand up to China in the South China Sea, without angering its leadership.US-Philippines ties were shaken by predecessor Rodrigo Duterte's overtures towards China, his famous anti-US rhetoric and threats to downgrade their military ties.
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