DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday, September 30, 2021, said a Chinese envoy told him to “not touch” the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States (US) when he ordered the review of its provision.
“While the US welcomes the idea of revisiting the MDT, an outside party does not,” Lorenzana said in his speech during a virtual forum for the 70th anniversary of the Philippines –US MDT.
“When I first broached the idea of revisiting the MDT, the former Chinese ambassador came to me and said, ‘Please do not touch the MDT. Leave it as it is,'” he added.
The official did not name the Chinese official he was referring to.
Lorenzana said this may indicate that China, even after having embedded artificial islands in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), is not in a hurry for any resolution that is not in its favor.
“China likewise is adept at gaming the system. For instance, it knew that any aggression it takes will trigger the MDT. So what it did was to employ what is called the grayzone tactics using maritime militias in asserting its so-called historical claims and cabbage tactics,” he said.
“That is, to overwhelm and seize control of an island by surrounding and wrapping it in successive layers of ships,” he added.
The MDT was established on August 30, 1950 which allows both countries to aid the other in case of external attack and to help each other in improving defense capabilities.
The Philippines and China have a long-standing claim in the said territory.
This came following an April 2012 stand-off between Chinese authorities and the Philippine Navy after Filipino fishermen were prevented from entering the Scarborough Shoal, one of the region’s richest fishing grounds and a flashpoint between the two countries.
In 2013, the Philippine government filed a case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands to challenge China’s claim over 90 percent of the territory.
On July 12, 2016, the PCA ruled in favor of the Philippines and invalidated China’s claims within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line, also affirming the traditional and legitimate fishing rights of Filipino fishermen in the area.
China ignored the ruling and continuously built military outposts in the area despite the reiteration of the Philippine government for them to stop noting they are already occupying the country’s territorial waters.
The presence of Chinese vessels in the area also caused fear to Filipino fishermen to fish there. (SunStar Philippines)