US after China water cannon incident: Armed attack vs. Philippines to trigger defense treaty

The United States is standing by its treaty ally the Philippines after the Chinese Coast Guard blocked and fired water cannons at resupply ships en route to the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, the US also reaffirmed that an armed attack on Philippine public vessels in the South China Sea would invoke US mutual defense commitments under the 1951 Philippines-US Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in the face of this escalation that directly threatens regional peace and stability, escalates regional tensions, infringes upon freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law, and undermines the rules-based international order,” US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. 

Article Four of the PHL-US treaty provides 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.” -NB, GMA News

 

US after China water cannon incident: Armed attack vs. Philippines to trigger defense treaty
Source: Filipino Viral News PH