U.S. Warns China Attack On Philippine Forces Would Trigger 1951 Treaty
PHILIPPINES - The U.S. has once again reminded China that an attack on Philippine forces in the South China Sea would trigger a 1951 mutual defense treaty between the Philippines and United States.
China continues to claim that nearly all of the territory located within their "Nine Dash Line" are waters owned by the communist regime. Waters that are also claimed by the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and Vietnam.
A ruling in 2018 by the tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) regarding the dispute brought on by the Philippines declared the nine dash line that China uses has no legal foundation.
China continues to reject the 2018 PCA ruling, instead reiterating its stance on the 9 dash line anyway, regardless of the lack of any real legal foundation to speak of.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to Donald Trump's 2020 rejection of China's South China Sea claims saying, "The United States reaffirms its July 13, 2020 policy regarding maritime claims in the South China Sea".
Blinken added, "We also reaffirm that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty".
An excerpt from the treaty mentioned states, "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".