Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to temporarily suspend his earlier decision to terminate the twenty-year-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States for a second time, as the countries work on forming a long-term mutual defense arrangement.
With regards to the move, the foreign ministry said in a statement yesterday that the Philippines delaying the cancellation by another six months would “enable us to find a more enhanced, mutually beneficial, mutually agreeable, and more effective and lasting arrangement on how to move forward in our mutual defence.”.
The pact was designed to be nullified through a written notice from either party, which would take effect in 180 days after the notice is served. Following the outrage over a senator and ally being denied a U.S. visa, the Philippines issued the notice of suspension in February for a termination that would have taken effect in August.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the US embassy said it welcomed the Philippine government’s decision. “Our long-standing alliance has benefited both countries, and we look forward to continued close security and defence cooperation with the Philippines,” it added.
The VFA came into effect in 1998, and provided a framework for the legal status to thousands of US troops in the Philippines for military exercises and promised humanitarian assistance. The initial termination notice of this treaty concerned Washington about two other bilateral military pacts—a Mutual Defense Treaty and an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), both of which depend on the VFA.
Since coming into power in 2016, Duterte has been known to take a pro-China and Russia stance, while condemning the U.S.’ foreign and military policies. However, Manila and Beijing have competing claims in the South China Sea, and due to increased military activity by China in the international water body disputed by several other maritime nations, Duterte took an unprecedented stern stance against China at the United Nations General Assembly meeting earlier this year.
In a speech made to the General Assembly in September, Duterte highlighted a 2016 arbitral tribunal that discredited essentially all of Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea as “beyond compromise.” Duterte’s speech was also made amidst rising tensions between Beijing and Washington. This also came a month after the U.S. issued sanctions on 24 Chinese companies and individuals for their involvement in constructing China’s artificial islands in the contested waters.
“The suspension shall start on even date and shall continue for six months, which period is extendible by the Philippines for another six months,” following which, the termination countdown “shall resume”, read a June 1 letter by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin to the U.S. embassy in Manila. Due to this second suspension, the new deadline will reach the early days of President-elect Joe Biden’s term. The U.S.-Philippines relationship is expected to undergo a degree of change once the new government is in power.
The Philippines Once Again Delays Decision to Suspend US Troop Deal
As the Philippines and the US thrash out the details of a new long term defence plan, Manila has extended its decision to not terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement.
November 13, 2020
SOURCE: Reuters