The US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command said yesterday amid a spike in hostilities between Beijing and Manila in the disputed waters.
Admiral Samuel Paparo’s remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila with Philippine Armed Forces chief General Romeo Brawner Jr, provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest US military commanders outside the US mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting US Navy ships in direct collisions with those of China.
Photo: Reuters
Chinese coast guard, navy and suspected militia ships regularly clash with Philippine vessels during attempts to resupply Filipino sailors stationed in parts of the South China Sea claimed by both countries.
As these clashes grow increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking a treaty alliance with Washington.
Paparo and Brawner spoke to reporters after an international military conference in Manila organized by the US Indo-Pacific Command, at which China’s increasingly assertive actions in the South China Sea were spotlighted.
Military and defense officials and diplomats from the US and allied countries attended, but there were no Chinese representatives.
Asked if the US military would consider escorting Philippine ships delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces in the South China Sea, Paparo replied: “Certainly, within the context of consultations."
"Every option between the two sovereign nations in terms of our mutual defense, escort of one vessel to the other, is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty, among this close alliance between the two of us,” Paparo said without elaborating.
Brawner responded cautiously to the suggestion, which could run afoul of Philippine laws including a constitutional ban on foreign forces directly joining local combat operations.
“The attitude of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as dictated by the Philippine laws, is for us to first rely on ourselves,” Brawner said. “We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us in order for us to achieve the mission ... in this case, the resupply and rotation of our troops.”
"We will then seek for other options when we are already constrained from doing it ourselves,” Brawner said.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has said there has been no situation so far that would warrant activating the treaty, which requires the allies to come to each other's aid if they come under external attack.
US President Joe Biden and his administration have repeatedly renewed their “ironclad” commitment to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 treaty if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.
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