Lorenzana: China tried to prevent review of MDT between PH, US
The Chinese government had tried to prevent the Philippines from reviewing its Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed on Thursday, Sept. 30.
“While the US welcomes the idea of revisiting the MDT, an outside party does not,” said Lorenzana during a virtual conference organized by the Stratbase ADR to ark the 70th year anniversary of the MDT.
“When I first broached the idea of revisiting the MDT, the former Chinese ambassador came to me and said: ‘Please do not touch the MDT. leave it as it is’,” he added.
A review and possible updating of the MDT would make the agreement between the Philippines and the United States more responsive in the ongoing territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea.
Signed in 1951 through President Elpidio Quirino, the MDT has two main salient points: 1. Both countries will aid the other in case of external attack; and, 2. Improvement of defense capabilities of the Philippines.
For the second salient points, Lorenzana said that the Philippines has benefitted in terms of the donations of military equipment over the years.
“The Philippines became the biggest beneficiary of their (US) excess defense articles such as ships, planes, trucks, artillery and other war materiel. This became the norm in the succeeding years, that is the Philippines received mostly hand-me-downs, never brand new equipment. this is still the case up to this day,” said Lorenzana.
The first salient point, on the other hand, is one of the reasons why China is holdings its ambition of totally occupying the islands being claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
But the Philippine government wants more amid the increasing China presence in the West Philippine Sea. It was recalled that during his visit to the United States, Lorenzana expressed its intention to update the provisions of the MDT.
In pushing for the update of the MDT, Lorenzana explained that it was signed during that time when communism is the only security problem in the Southeast Asia region.
But right now, he said the problems became more complicated with issues on terrorism, illegal drugs, transnational crimes and exploitation of resources aside from the territorial dispute.
“Most of these problems were non-existent when the MDT was signed in 1951. The whole of Southeast Asia was then watching the march of communism and the ensuing conflict it would bring if it reached their lands,” said Lorenzana.