U.S. repeats warning to China against attack on Philippine forces

[snoop1130]

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers remarks on the release of the 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report at the State Department in Washington, U.S., July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/Pool

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Sunday repeated a warning to China that an attack on Philippine armed forces in the South China Sea would trigger a 1951 U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty.

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the comment in a written statement marking the fifth anniversary of a ruling by an arbitration tribunal repudiating China's vast territorial claims in the South China Sea.

 

China - which lays claim to most of the waters within a so-called Nine Dash Line, which is also contested by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam - reiterated on Friday that Beijing did not accept the ruling.

 

"The United States reaffirms its July 13, 2020 policy regarding maritime claims in the South China Sea," Blinken said, referring to the rejection by former President Donald Trump's administration of China's claims to offshore resources in most of the South China Sea.

 

"We also reaffirm that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," Blinken added.

 

That article of the treaty says in part that "each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes."

 

Blinken has made the point before, including during an April 8 conversation with the Philippine foreign minister in which the State Department said he "reaffirmed the applicability" of the treaty to the South China Sea.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-12

[nobodysfriend]

PRC wants Taiwan to belong to China .

They prepare this war with a territorial expansion to the South China Sea . It gives an strategical advantage to them .

Xi Jinping wants to be the one who ' reunites ' China and Taiwan . A dangerous situation .

[wombat]

saber rattling to keep up appearances ...after the worlds reaction to Hong Kong, nothing will happen other than that.

[Catoni]

3 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

PRC wants Taiwan to belong to China .

They prepare this war with a territorial expansion to the South China Sea . It gives an strategical advantage to them .

Xi Jinping wants to be the one who ' reunites ' China and Taiwan . A dangerous situation .

Difficult to believe that some people actually admire the Chinese Communist Party after all the misery it’s caused, and the danger it represents. But that’s Marxists for you. 

[wwest5829]

15 minutes ago, Catoni said:

Difficult to believe that some people actually admire the Chinese Communist Party after all the misery it’s caused, and the danger it represents. But that’s Marxists for you. 

Steady as she goes. I certainly recognize the danger of China's economic expansion and reject its one party social control rule. But Marxists? China? Modified Marxist, Leninist, Maoist communists, at best. Many totalitarian governments have caused misery ... along with some countries claiming to be multi-party democracies of one color or another.

[tifino]

look up any Atlas, and note all the countries that have " The Democratic..." in their Title - for they are always the countries that are Not... 

[Mac Mickmanus]

With China building military bases in said area and fortifying it and building up its navy and China having twice the navy that the USA has  , the USA could come off second best if they engage in a sea war with China 

[Lucky dog]

And the U.S. with a president that can't remember what he had for breakfast!!

[MayBeNow]

China has the full right to unify the renegade province of Taiwan back to China proper, with arms if need to be. And they will do it.

 

What China does in the South China sea, claiming the whole area as theirs and building bases might not be lawful. But it surely will protect the soutern approach to China in case of an attack on Taiwan. And thats what matters to China.

 

But what has the USA to do around the Philipines? Last time i looked at a map those countries are seperated by 11000 km of sea.

[BobinBKK]

18 minutes ago, Lucky dog said:

And the U.S. with a president that can't remember what he had for breakfast!!

Speaking as a US citizen I have nothing but utter contempt and loathing for that treasonist SOB!!!

[timmyp]

Blinken loves his war. Loves military interventions. He pushed for them all. Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen...  Excellent consistency. I sure hope he keeps up the rhetoric with China and Russia, cuz I can't wait to have a real conflict with a nuclear armed country. 

[Thomas J]

1 hour ago, Catoni said:

Difficult to believe that some people actually admire the Chinese Communist Party after all the misery it’s caused,

Well it is hardly fair to single out the Chinese.  I would point in history to the Romans, how about Spain and its conquest of Mexico, Central America, and much of South America.  England was hardly devoid of misery in its occupation of numerous countries during its colonialist period.  Then in modern times Russia and Germany have hardly been without their atrocities.  Lets not forget my home country the USA.  What it did to Vietnam was atrocious and I suspect if you asked anyone from Afghanistan, or Iraq if they suffered any misery under the U.S. wars there they would hardly give them a free pass. 

[Catoni]

2 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Steady as she goes. I certainly recognize the danger of China's economic expansion and reject its one party social control rule. But Marxists? China? Modified Marxist, Leninist, Maoist communists, at best. Many totalitarian governments have caused misery ... along with some countries claiming to be multi-party democracies of one color or another.

I don’t want to get into nit picking on semantics. Leninism, Maoism, Trotskyism, (I wrote a paper on Trotsky in college) Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge form of Marxism, Modified Marxism, et al…..  they all form from the writings of Karl Marx, …..and they all lead to death and mass graves. 
Karl Marx is right up there almost at a level with Mao in China. His statues and statues of Friedrich Engels all over the place. 
Marxism in all its many guises and under many names, has resulted in the greatest mass killings in the history of the world. And they are still killing today. 
    Killings by some multi-party democracies, also an evil act, pale in comparison. 
You would have to either have little knowledge of History, or be a Marxist to deny that fact. 

[PuaSai]

China is probably laughing with this administration making decisions and rattling their rubber sabers...

[SunsetT]

1 hour ago, Thomas J said:

Well it is hardly fair to single out the Chinese.  I would point in history to the Romans, how about Spain and its conquest of Mexico, Central America, and much of South America.  England was hardly devoid of misery in its occupation of numerous countries during its colonialist period.  Then in modern times Russia and Germany have hardly been without their atrocities.  Lets not forget my home country the USA.  What it did to Vietnam was atrocious and I suspect if you asked anyone from Afghanistan, or Iraq if they suffered any misery under the U.S. wars there they would hardly give them a free pass. 

Not to mention the US's hypocritical covert and brutal repression of democracy in South and Central America since WW2 training death squads etc., propping up dictators,  labelling Socialism as Communism to justify crushing any  political movement to improve the lot of the impoverished majority and interfering in and and manipulating any democratic process to repress them while at the same time exploiting them for their oil and other resources. This is the root cause of the migration problem that the US now has at it's Southern border.   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rogue-State-Guide-Worlds-Superpower/dp/1842778277

[wwest5829]

7 minutes ago, Catoni said:

I don’t want to get into nit picking on semantics. Leninism, Maoism, Trotskyism, (I wrote a paper on Trotsky in college) Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge form of Marxism, Modified Marxism, et al…..  they all form from the writings of Karl Marx, …..and they all lead to death and mass graves. 
Marxism in all its many guises and under many names, has resulted in the greatest mass killings in the history of the world. And they are still killing today. 
    Killings by some multi-party democracies, also an evil act, pale in comparison. 
You would have to either have little knowledge of History, or be a Marxist to deny that fact. 

My intended point was that the PRC is not pure Marxism but an amalgamation. Even allowing a greater degree of capitalism in our times. As I also stated, I certainly am not a supporter of totalitarian government in whatever guise. I am not sure that the 20 million Russian an 6 million Jews in WWII “pale by comparison”. But I agree, we need not split hairs here, we both seem to recognize evil is done widely in history. I would condemn all, not only one extreme or another on the political continuum. For me, the solution is in the broad middle ground where the citizens needs are the goal of government. I see the people throughout history seeking alternative forms of government only when their own government is failing to meet their basic needs. Careful with your last line … sounds rather all or nothing to me. You have looked at my public profile?

[topt]

2 hours ago, MayBeNow said:

China has the full right to unify the renegade province of Taiwan back to China proper, with arms if need to be.

Please explain why you believe they have the "full right"?

[Catoni]

5 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

My intended point was that the PRC is not pure Marxism but an amalgamation. Even allowing a greater degree of capitalism in our times. As I also stated, I certainly am not a supporter of totalitarian government in whatever guise. I am not sure that the 20 million Russian an 6 million Jews in WWII “pale by comparison”. But I agree, we need not split hairs here, we both seem to recognize evil is done widely in history. I would condemn all, not only one extreme or another on the political continuum. For me, the solution is in the broad middle ground where the citizens needs are the goal of government. I see the people throughout history seeking alternative forms of government only when their own government is failing to meet their basic needs. Careful with your last line … sounds rather all or nothing to me. You have looked at my public profile?

Good.  I’m happy to see you are a retired professor of History. Therefore you know that what I stated is true. 
   Happy to discuss with another person who loves History. One of my courses in college was The History of Modern Communism, (that’s how I ended up doing a paper on Trotsky)  although I have studied much History in general, I have a much greater interest in Ancient Classical History.  Greek, Roman, and Persian history I find fascinating. 
    Can I ask… have you read Herodotus’s “The Histories” and Livy’s “Ab Urbe Condita” and Dio Cassius’s “History of Rome” ?  
    
   As you know, I am sure, we have no foundation if we do not know History.  I fear it is being forgotten…..or being twisted and warped. 
 

   Many students today fail to answer basic questions on History. It’s really sad. 

[connda]

The US got their butts kicked in Vietnam.
The US got their butts kicked in Afghanistan.
The US is getting their butts kicked in Iraq and the greater ME.

Neo-con war-hawks and (as HW Bush put it) the crazies in the basement all seem to be dead set on wars with both China and Russia.

Ok. Wake us all up and let us know how that works out.  Well, we'll probably know when the bright flashes start dotting the globe.  Quick solution to get the Earth population down to 500,000 people or less.

[connda]

3 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Steady as she goes. I certainly recognize the danger of China's economic expansion and reject its one party social control rule. But Marxists? China? Modified Marxist, Leninist, Maoist communists, at best. Many totalitarian governments have caused misery ... along with some countries claiming to be multi-party democracies of one color or another.

A number of totalitarian government dressed up as "Democracies" and citing "Freedom" as their casus belli really are not any better.  And they are getting worse as what is being ushered in is, in my humble opinion, worse than the hybrid capitalist/communism of the CCP and China.  The CCP has no pretension about what it is.  So-called "Democracies" hiding behind that label and pretending they are something that they are not are magnitudes more dangerous to society and civilization in general.

[wwest5829]

56 minutes ago, Catoni said:

Good.  I’m happy to see you are a retired professor of History. Therefore you know that what I stated is true. 
   Happy to discuss with another person who loves History. One of my courses in college was The History of Modern Communism, (that’s how I ended up doing a paper on Trotsky)  although I have studied much History in general, I have a much greater interest in Ancient Classical History.  Greek, Roman, and Persian history I find fascinating. 
    Can I ask… have you read Herodotus’s “The Histories” and Livy’s “Ab Urbe Condita” and Dio Cassius’s “History of Rome” ?  
    
   As you know, I am sure, we have no foundation if we do not know History.  I fear it is being forgotten…..or being twisted and warped. 
 

   Many students today fail to answer basic questions on History. It’s really sad. 

I taught for 41 years, the last 27 mostly teaching the American History and Western Civ. survey courses (mostly the latter, so yes I have read the texts you cite. Ha! But not in the original languages). A very broad background. I always told my students that I know a little bit about a whole lot (although the more I learned, the more I realized how little I knew) but if they had specific questions, I would send them to a Professor specializing in that subject/area of research. Teaching the survey courses, it was my responsibility to take the research and make it understandable to my students. It has been and remains my belief that we cannot hope to understand the world around us without looking at the history. Now retired for a decade so I often need to go back to refresh. Currently, I am enjoying Seneca, “On the Shortness of Life”. Yo, at 74  …

[pacovl46]

3 hours ago, MayBeNow said:

China has the full right to unify the renegade province of Taiwan back to China proper, with arms if need to be. And they will do it.

 

What China does in the South China sea, claiming the whole area as theirs and building bases might not be lawful. But it surely will protect the soutern approach to China in case of an attack on Taiwan. And thats what matters to China.

 

But what has the USA to do around the Philipines? Last time i looked at a map those countries are seperated by 11000 km of sea.

Maybe you should read the article again, key words are 1951 treaty! 

[MayBeNow]

2 hours ago, topt said:

Please explain why you believe they have the "full right"?

Because Taiwan is part of China proper. 

 

In 1895 the Japanese conquered the province of Formosa from China. After the Japanese defeat in 1945 the nationalist Chinese too it back.

The mainland Chinese government wants all of China under their control. They rightly squashed the HK violent minority last year, without causing any deaths (hear hear Capitol hill). How could they ever allow a movement threatening the integrity of their country?

And they will not rest before the, in their eyes, renegade province of Taiwan is back under control.

 

Ofcourse the West has a different narrative of events, divide et impera, devide and rule. 

[MayBeNow]

35 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Maybe you should read the article again, key words are 1951 treaty! 

Are you serious? The USA was the former colonial power of the Philipines. Was this an equal treaty?

 

But treaties aside, the USA should stop sticking its nose in far away countries. You would think that country is a bit tired of loosing the wars they start. 

[topt]

8 minutes ago, MayBeNow said:

Because Taiwan is part of China proper. 

 

In 1895 the Japanese conquered the province of Formosa from China. After the Japanese defeat in 1945 the nationalist Chinese too it back.

You obviously don't give any credence to the wishes of the population living there?

Presumably you also believe The Falklands, as one example, should be given back to Argentina?

11 minutes ago, MayBeNow said:

They rightly squashed the HK violent minority last year,

Not sure we have anything really to discuss when you can make that kind of statement and your initial deflection on the US/Philippines treaty speaks volumes for your "bias"............  

[tifino]

3 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

I taught for 41 years, the last 27 mostly teaching the American History and Western Civ. survey courses (mostly the latter, so yes I have read the texts you cite. Ha! But not in the original languages). A very broad background. I always told my students that I know a little bit about a whole lot (although the more I learned, the more I realized how little I knew) but if they had specific questions, I would send them to a Professor specializing in that subject/area of research. Teaching the survey courses, it was my responsibility to take the research and make it understandable to my students. It has been and remains my belief that we cannot hope to understand the world around us without looking at the history. Now retired for a decade so I often need to go back to refresh. Currently, I am enjoying Seneca, “On the Shortness of Life”. Yo, at 74  …

pity you may have left your Return a little too late... read the other day that there are US Education institutions burning/trashing their US History books entirely, in favour of the new abnormal curriculims 

[Tug]

8 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

With China building military bases in said area and fortifying it and building up its navy and China having twice the navy that the USA has  , the USA could come off second best if they engage in a sea war with China 

I sincerely hope that a conflict doesent happen but be advised the Chinese navy isent capable of standing up to the US navy in a conventional sense it would be a slaughter 

[curlylekan]

12 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

PRC wants Taiwan to belong to China .

They prepare this war with a territorial expansion to the South China Sea . It gives an strategical advantage to them .

Xi Jinping wants to be the one who ' reunites ' China and Taiwan . A dangerous situation .

I would add that they are doing this not only for stratgic sea and port passage routes, but also so the Chinese can extract resources from the South China Sea. I'd argue the reason for resources is also why they are trying so hard, through human rights abuses to have whatever access they want to/in Xinjiang

[Nojohndoe]

If only those that are willing to submit statements of policy were as willing to commit to actually fronting up physically should it come to participation in armed conflict !

Or to even admit that such policy is long established long range buffering and agitation using pawns to enact intent.

The scale of potential destruction that exists in the world now is almost unimaginable if it were to come to a point of all out war which in reality of purpose has less to do with the principles of democracy etc than it does with economic superiority thus control.

Recent and current conflicts that continue  to inflict massive incremental  deaths and suffering expose  and belie the the claim to "protection and salvation" as a claim in justification !

They are nothing more than demonstrable evaluation tests with scant regard to humanitarian impact.

 

[wwest5829]

1 hour ago, tifino said:

pity you may have left your Return a little too late... read the other day that there are US Education institutions burning/trashing their US History books entirely, in favour of the new abnormal curriculims 

Left my return? Retired to Thailand in 2011 as Professor Emeritus. Happy to be here. As to US burning/trashing US History books? Hmm, I would, and I would hope any other thinking person would need creditable sources.