Washington: The United States on Sunday repeated warnings to China that the attack on the Philippine Armed Forces in the South China Sea will trigger the US-Filipino reciprocal defense agreement in 1951.
State Secretary Antony Blinken commented on a written statement which marked a five-year anniversary of the court Arbitration that rejects Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.
China – which puts claims most of the waters in the so-called Nine Dash Line, which is also contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam – reaffirming on Friday that Beijing did not accept the verdict.
“The United States reaffirms the policy of July 20, 2020 concerning maritime claims in the South China Sea,” said Blinken, referring to the rejection by former President of President Donald Trump, Chinese claims against offshore resources in most of the South China Sea.
“We also reaffirmed that armed attacks in the Philippine Armed Forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea will beg for us with a shared defense commitment under Article IV Mutual AS-Filipino Defense Agreement 1951,” added Blinken.
That article agreement said partially that “each party acknowledged that armed attacks in the Pacific region in one of the parties would be dangerous for their own peace and safety and stated that it would act to fulfill the shared danger in accordance with the constitutional process.” Blinken Has made previous points, including during the April 8 conversation with the Philippine Foreign Minister where the State Department said he “reaffirmed the application of” covenant to the South China Sea.