Obama’s assurance to PHL: Genuine or double talk?

It came directly from United States President Barack Obama and the Filipinos and the world heard the American leader state in full force what was expected of him since his plan to make his first visit to the Philippines was announced – the US will stand by its old ally, the Philippines. The assurance was given by this President in keeping with the US-Philippines mutual defense treaty in case of external aggression in connection with conflicting claims with China over certain islands, shoals and reefs in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. And with US and Philippine soldiers standing at his back and more soldiers and war veterans in the background listening, Mr. Obama stated it clearly – “Our commitment to defend the Philippines is iron-clad and the US will keep that commitment because allies never stand alone.” Mr. Obama added—” Let me be absolutely clear. For more than 60 years, the United States and the Philippines have been bound by a mutual defense treaty. And this treaty means our two nations pledge — and I’m quoting — our ‘common determination to defend themselves against external armed attacks, so that no potential aggressor could be under the illusion that either of them stands alone.’’
But then Mr. Obama was actually ambivalent in his two major pronouncements in Manila, one in Malacanang and the other at the Philippine Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. While he warned against coercion and intimidation in resolving the sea disputes, obviously referring to China, he, at the same time, stressed the role of China in world trade. “We welcome China’s peaceful rise. We have a constructive relationship with China. There is enormous trade, enormous business that’s done between the United States and China. There are a whole range of issues on the international stage in which cooperation between the U.S. and China are vital,” he said. Then he stressed – “ So our goal is not to counter China. Our goal is not to contain China.”
Explaining this further, Mr. Obama said – “Our goal is to make sure that international rules and norms are respected, and that includes in the area of maritime disputes. We do not have claims in this area territorially. We’re an Asia Pacific nation and our primary interest is the peaceful resolution of conflict, the freedom of navigation that allows for continued progress and prosperity. And we don’t even take a specific position on the disputes between nations. But as a matter of international law and international norms, we don’t think that coercion and intimidation is the way to manage these disputes. And for that reason we’re very supportive of President Benigno’s approach to go before the tribunal for the law of the sea and to seek international arbitration that can resolve this in a diplomatic fashion.”
Mr. Obama, very clearly, was supportive of both the Philippines and China and thinking of a broader and far-reaching goal for the Asia Pacific region. “We believe that nations and peoples have the right to live in security and peace, and to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity respected. We believe that international law must be upheld, that freedom of navigation must be preserved and commerce must not be impeded. We believe that disputes must be resolved peacefully and not by intimidation or force. That’s what our nations stand for. That’s the future we’re working for,” he stressed.
The alliance of the Philippines and America will be tested in due time, especially with the signing of a new defense cooperation agreement that will give US troops access to Philippine bases for the mutual benefit of both countries. Amidst the protests of anti-Americans and anti-bases groups in the Philippines, we can only hope that US and the Philippines will work together and that China will come to terms to ensure regional stability and, in the long run, prosperity in the region