U.S. President Barack Obama, left, waves beside Philippines Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado before boarding Air Force One as he leaves the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, April 29, 2014. Obama vigorously defended his foreign policy record Monday, arguing that his cautious approach to global problems has avoided the type of missteps that contributed to a “disastrous” decade of war for the United States. The Philippines is the last leg of Obama’s four-nation Asia tour. AP
MANILA, Philippines—The United States (US) will protect the Philippines in the event of an attack against Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said Wednesday.
“Under the Mutual Defense Treaty, the United States will come to the assistance of the Philippines if our metropolitan territory is attacked or if our Armed Forces are attacked in the Pacific area,” Del Rosario said.
“In 1999, in a diplomatic letter, the United States affirmed that the South China Sea is considered as part of the Pacific area,” he said.
The West Philippine Sea is the area of a maritime dispute between the Philippines and China.
There have been several instances where Chinese ships expelled Filipinos from the area with force.
US President Barack Obama assured during his recent visit to the Philippines that US will stand by the Philippines being long-time ally in Asia.
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