Experts: US Will Not Give Up Neutral Stance in Huangyan Island Standoff for Philippines’ Sake

According to CCTV, Philippine Foreign Minister Rosario said that the United States will fulfill the obligations specified under the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty.

Commentators Song Xiao Jun and Zhou Qing An stated that the treaty was a leverage to restrain the domestic opposition in Philippine, and the United States has made clear [their plan] to remain neutral.

According to Song Xiaojun, the Philippine-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty stipulates that the United States will offer assistance when the uncontested sovereignty of the Philippines had been violated. However, this is limited to the controversial sovereignty.

The treaty was signed in the 1950s, mainly to suppress the expanding wave of communism in the Philippines, maintain its upper class regime, and wow the domestic anti-government forces. In fact, the Philippines has never been threatened by international forces.

Therefore, Rosario’s emphasis on the treaty was still to restrain domestic opposition at the Huangyan Island standoff and gain more support.

Zhou Qing An said, “The United States will not take sides in Huangyan Island standoff.” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear in the “2 + 2” meeting that Sino-U.S. relations are very important in international relations in the 21st century; it is a constructive relationship. We can say that it is not the first step of the U.S.’s Asia-Pacific strategy to get involved in the Huangyan Island standoff.

Thus, the U.S. will not abandon the original strategy to offer additional support to the Philippines. The Philippines can only continue to use international arbitration to solve the problem although it is inappropriate.