Posted on 07/30/2021 5:06:15 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has retracted a decision to end a key defense pact with the United States, allowing large-scale combat exercises between U.S. and Philippine forces that at times have alarmed China to proceed.
Duterte’s decision was announced Friday by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a joint news conference with visiting U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin in Manila. It was a step back from the Philippine leader’s stunning vow early in his term to distance himself from Washington as he tried to rebuild frayed ties with China over territorial rifts in the South China Sea.
“The president decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA,” Lorenzana told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Austin, referring to the Visiting Forces Agreement. “There is no termination letter pending and we are back on track.”
Austin thanked Duterte for the decision, which he said would further bolster the two nations’ 70-year treaty alliance.
“Our countries face a range of challenges, from the climate crises to the pandemic and, as we do, a strong, resilient US-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said. “A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together.”
Terminating the pact would have been a major blow to America’s oldest alliance in Asia, as Washington squares with Beijing on a range of issues, including trade, human rights and China’s behavior in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.
The U.S. military presence in the region is seen as a counterbalance to China, which has used force to assert claims to vast areas of the disputed South China Sea, including the construction of artificial islands equipped with airstrips and military installations. China has ignored a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its historic basis.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Too late Holmes
Enjoy your new Chinese overloads.
Hey Rodrigo, don’t forget 10% for the big guy!
The man is a sociopath.
Duterte got told about the Chinese spies in his government and Chinese plans to invade and annex the Philippines.
Someone must have showed him this actual intel that China plans to replace him after his mysterious demise.
Then I think about the Philippines.
Feeling weaker due to unmoving anti-Chinese public opinion, plus ongoing opposition from the Philippine military establishment. Also, the Chinese have not delivered on their various promises. Also, elections, and Duterte’s friends haven’t got his personal qualities and he is a lame duck. Also, he is not well, healthwise.
Duterte is the organ grinder while Lloyd Austin holds the tin cup. /spit.
I hope they’ll let us replace the tanks and pumps at Clark AFB, and then repave it.
It’s a STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT FACILITY.
Clark is now a pretty busy airport. Almost all the airfreight traffic to the Philippines goes there. Its got tanks and pumps and the whole deal.
This was entirely predictable.
Someone must have showed him this actual intel that China plans to replace him after his mysterious demise.
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In Biden’s regime?
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