US will be ‘good ally’ to Philippines if China invades, defence official promises
Randall Schriver, assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs, gave the vow when asked about the countries’ mutual defence treaty
The United States will be “a good ally” to the Philippines in responding to territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, a US defence official said Thursday.
Randall Schriver, assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs, gave the assurance as tensions rise over China’s aggressive stance towards its claims to most of the strategic waterway.
Speaking to reporters at the US embassy in Manila, Schriver was asked if the United States, which is bound to the Philippines by a mutual defence treaty, would help the country if China invaded.
“We’ll be a good ally … there should be no misunderstanding or lack of clarity on the spirit and the nature of our commitment,” he said. “We’ll help the Philippines respond accordingly,” he added, declining to give further details.
Watch: Philippines threatens war with China over South China Sea