U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Chinese security risks on Tuesday with senior Philippine leaders, as Washington and Manila seek to bolster ties in the face of increasingly aggressive Chinese action against Philippine targets in the South China Sea. The visit was the latest effort by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fortify his nation against Beijing. Marcos has built up a network of global security allies to help defend against Chinese naval aggression in disputed waters and plans to visit Washington next month for the first joint summit with U.S. and Japanese leaders, unlike his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte who cultivated closer relations with China. Blinken declared that the United States has “an ironclad commitment” to a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines that extends to any armed attack on Philippine armed forces and public vessels.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/03/19/phillipines-blinken-china/
