US State Secretary Anton yBlinken reaffirmed and assured the Philippines of the applicability of the 1951 United States-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty to the South China Sea.

Blinken made this assurance to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday as they discussed concerns over the continued presence of Chinese vessels at the West Philippine Sea, including the Julian Felipe Reef.

“Both expressed their shared concerns” with the massing of Chinese vessels in the area and “reiterated their calls on the People’s Republic of China to abide by the 2016 arbitration ruling,” said the US State Department in a statement. 

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The statement added that the diplomats “reiterated their calls on the People’s Republic of China to abide by the 2016 arbitration ruling.” Read More

Statement on the Telephone Call between Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken