US to help PHL should China encroach into territory

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 14): US to help PHL should China encroach into territory

US Navy Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jonathan Greenert, said that the United States is obligated to help the Philippines should China occupy its possessions at the West Philippine Sea.

The American naval official made this announcement during his visit to the National Defense College of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Thursday afternoon.

Greenert, while admitting that the scenario is a hypothetical one, said that it is the United States' duty to help the Philippines as both nations have a standing Mutual Defense Treaty.

"I don't know into what capacity that help is but we'll help, its part of our treaty. I think in the near term as you sort of saying this is nice that we continue to talk about multilateralism, we have to be clear, with a clear signal and I think we are and will continue to say that aggressive behavior outside of international norms, not using the established procedures... is contrary to ... good order here and we have to manage, we oppose it, we will work to clarify that and making (it) clear, " he added.

China and the Philippines has been at loggerheads with each other on contrasting claims over the West Philippine Sea.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=615971