Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez expressed confidence the Philippines’ relationship with the US will not go “sour” because of China’s attempt to drive a “wedge” between the two countries.
Speaking to CNN Philippines, Romualdez said the strong ties that bind the Philippines to the US cannot just be crushed on prodding by China.
“Actually, that’s the whole problem with China. They are trying to put a wedge between our relationship with the United States. That’s never going to happen, not in (a) million years,” he said.
“Our relationship with the United States is very solid. I think that we have seen that happen in many, many years.
We had issues with them in the past, we had some differences, but end of the day we’re still together,” he added.
Romualdez also disputed China’s claim that the US, one of the Philippines’ oldest treaty allies, has no right to interfere in the West Philippine Sea issue.
He said the US has a role to play in what China considers a regional tension, which most of the international community sees as an upfront against peace, stability, and order in one of the world’s most important sea lanes.
“They are not interfering. They are our allies. They are our number 1 allies. We have a mutual defense treaty with the United States. So, they are simply stating a fact that they are to protect an ally like the Philippines,” he said.
Romualdez was referring to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which mandates both countries to come to each other’s aid in case of an external attack.
This came after US President Joe Biden said that any attack on Philippine aircraft, vessels, and armed forces would invoke the treaty.
Romualdez argued that the US is “not the only country that is concerned about what’s happening in our area.”
“You have many countries. In fact, there are 17 countries that have already indicated and said publicly supporting the Philippines’ position,” Romualdez said.
Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the European Union, expressed their concern over the latest collision between the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Philippine vessels in the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal, which is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Earlier, Washington led a chorus of international criticism and backlash against China’s interference in the resupply mission.
“I want to be very clear. The United States defense commitment to the Philippines is ironclad,” Biden said Wednesday.
“Any attack on Filipino aircraft, vessels or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines,” he added.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the Philippine exclusive economic zone, and has ignored a 2016 international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
Ayungin Shoal is about 200 kilometers from Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometers from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.