US would ‘help’ Philippines in South China Sea, says navy chief
US Admiral stresses importance of mutual defence treaty with the Philippines in powerful message of support for Manila over any future conflict over South China Sea
The United States will “help” the Philippines in the event that China occupies disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US Chief of Naval Operations said on Thursday.
Admiral Jonathan Greenert also stressed that the US would honour its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines amid a seething territorial conflict with China over the resource-rich waters.
“Of course we would help you. I don’t know what that help would be, specifically. I mean we have an obligation because we have a treaty,” he told students at a state defence college during a visit to Manila.
His remarks – one of the strongest US declarations of support for the Philippines – come as concerns rise that China will attempt to forcefully assert its claim to almost all of the South China Sea.
“We have an obligation because we have a treaty.”
China’s claim conflicts with that of the Philippines, which has a 1951 treaty with the United States that officials say bind the two partners to defend each other in case of external attack.
The United States has not taken a stand on the conflicting territorial claims over the South China Sea, which also involve Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.
