Philippine president calls on Trump to park US Navy outside China
by
Russ Read
| July 17, 2019 04:16 PM
President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines wants President Trump to park the Navy's 7th Fleet on China's doorstep in response to ongoing tensions in the Pacific.
Citing a decades-old security agreement, Duterte
called on Trump to gather the fleet in response to a June incident involving a Chinese vessel ramming a Filipino fishing boat inside Philippine waters.
"I'm calling now America. I am invoking the RP-US Pact, and I would like America to gather their Seventh Fleet in front of China. I'm asking them now," Duterte said during an interview with Apollo Quibiloy, a Filipino religious leader who
claims to be the "appointed son of God."
Known for making bombastic statements, Duterte said he would personally go on board with the fleet and invite his local critics to join him.
"I will join them, I will ride on the boat with admiral of the U.S.," Duterte said.
The Philippines has reason to be concerned about its security in the face of a growing Chinese threat. The June incident left nearly two dozen fishermen adrift, prompting the Filipino government to demand answers from China. Duterte would later dismiss the ramming as "a little maritime incident."
The Philippines is 1 of 5 countries in dispute with China over the South China Sea, a key trade route and resource-rich region. China has engaged in an island-building campaign in the region for years, building naval depots, air strips, and weapons platforms on the artificial islands. In response, the U.S. Navy, including the 7th Fleet, has engaged in what it calls "freedom of navigation" operations in the area in an effort to keep sea lanes open. These operations have led to several close encounters with Chinese forces.
The Mutual Defense Treaty cited by Duterte was signed by the United States and the Philippines in 1951. The treaty provides for mutual defense in certain situations, with some important caveats. First, it states that a response must be proportional in accordance with the country's constitution, said Seth Cropsey, a former deputy undersecretary of the Navy and director of the Hudson Institute's Center for American Seapower.
"And also, there's a clause in there that says — I'm sure this leaves any possible enemies of their country huddling in terror in a corner — that an actual attack ... will be referred to the United Nations," Cropsey said. "So basically, the truth of this is that if hostilities break out against either of the signatories that both of them must abide by their constitutions and the matter will go to the UN for adjudication."
In March, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
promised the U.S. would continue to guarantee the treaty and protect the Philippines should the country be attacked. It reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines security during bilateral talks that ended on Tuesday, reiterating Pompeo's promise that "any attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the [South China Sea]" would trigger the treaty.
Following the treaty's guidelines, Cropsey said asking an entire fleet to sit outside the Chinese mainland is unlikely, though he added Duterte may have a point in trying to get China to stop.
Playing in Duterte's favor is his seemingly close relationship with Trump. The two have developed something of a bond since winning their presidential elections in 2016. Duterte even
serenaded Trump during a gala dinner in 2017, calling the president "the light in my world, a half of this heart of mine."
Cropsey said there could be room for a smaller security arrangement, such as military exchanges and participation in military exercises. While the U.S. has avoided taking sides on territorial disputes, it has pursued stronger partnerships with other Asian countries in the South China Sea region.
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