Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 24) — The recent collision of Chinese and Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will not trigger Manila and Washington’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the National Security Council (NSC) said Tuesday.
“As stated in the MDT, an armed attack on a public vessel of the Philippines will be enough to trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya told CNN Philippine’ The Source. “However, there was no armed attack so there would be no basis to trigger the MDT.”
The Philippines and the United States entered into the MDT on Aug. 30, 1951. The treaty states that both countries must come to each other’s defense in the event of an external party attack on one or the other.
Under the MDT, an armed attack on either of the parties includes “an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the Island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.”
Last Sunday, China Coast Guard vessel 5203 conducted dangerous maneuvers, causing it to collide with the Armed Forces of the Philippines-contracted indigenous resupply boat Unaiza May 2. Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel MRRV 4409’s port side was also bumped by Chinese Maritime Militia vessel 00003.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a briefing on Monday that implementing the MDT following the collision incident over the weekend will need further study.
“The incident that happened is aggressive and dangerous, it is a provocation on the side of China,\” Daza said. \”But at this point, whether it will constitute an armed attack that would allow the invoking of Mutual Defense Treaty is something that needs to be studied.”
The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing regarding the incident, while the United States has reaffirmed its defense treaty obligation with Manila.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also directed the PCG to investigate the incident. Results are expected by the end of the week.
