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Philippines reverses decision to scrap US troop agreement, as South China Sea tensions rise
- President Rodrigo Duterte in February cancelled the Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows US troops to operate in the country on a rotational basis
- Analysts said the sudden U-turn may have been influenced by recent Chinese moves in the South China Sea and the coronavirus pandemic
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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has suspended his decision to scrap a two-decade-old troop deployment agreement with the United States due to political and other developments in the region, his foreign minister said on Tuesday, as analysts expressed their belief that the sudden move was related to rising tension in the South China Sea and the coronavirus pandemic.
The termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which is central to one of Washington’s most important alliances in Asia, was due to take effect in August and was Duterte’s biggest move yet towards delivering on long-standing threats to downgrade ties with the Philippines’ former colonial ruler.
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said the news that the Philippines was no longer abandoning the pact was well received by the United States.
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The mercurial Duterte, known for his stinging rebukes of Western powers, has clashed with Washington over numerous issues and has been open about his disdain for his country’s most important diplomatic ally and main provider of military hardware and training.
His embrace of historic rival China, a country deeply mistrusted by his US-allied defence apparatus, has attracted considerable criticism, with opponents accusing him of gambling with sovereignty in pursuit of massive investments that have not materialised.
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