Philippine and US revive the Visiting Forces Agreement
- In Reports
- 05:16 PM, Jul 30, 2021
- Myind Staff
President Rodrigo Duterte has restored a pact governing the presence of US troops in the Philippines, the two countries’ defence secretaries announced, retracting a decision that had caused increasing concern among policymakers in Washington and Manila.
The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) provides rules for the rotation of thousands of US troops in and out of the Philippines for war drills and exercises. It has assumed additional importance as the United States and its allies contend with an increasingly assertive China, particularly in the disputed South China Sea.
"The president decided to recall or retract the termination letter for the VFA," Lorenzana told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Austin, referring to the Visiting Forces Agreement. "There is no termination letter pending and we are back on track."
Austin thanked Duterte for the decision, which he said would further bolster the two nations' 70-year treaty alliance.
"Our countries face a range of challenges, from the climate crises to the pandemic and, as we do, a strong, resilient US-Philippine alliance will remain vital to the security, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific," Austin said. "A fully restored VFA will help us achieve that goal together."
Terminating the pact would have been a major blow to America's oldest alliance in Asia, as Washington squares with Beijing on a range of issues, including trade, human rights and China's behaviour in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety.
The U.S. military presence in the region is seen as a counterbalance to China, which has used force to assert claims to vast areas of the disputed South China Sea, including the construction of artificial islands equipped with airstrips and military installations. China has ignored a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated its historic basis.
China, the Philippines, Vietnam and three other governments have been locked in the territorial standoff for decades. The U.S. doesn't take sides and insists on freedom of navigation in international waters, and doesn't recognize China's claims.
Duterte notified the U.S. government in February 2020 year that the Philippines intended to abrogate the 1998 agreement, which allows large numbers of American forces to join combat training with Philippine troops and sets legal terms for their temporary stay.
Image Source: AP
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