Expert hopes China will change 'attitude' after US' assurance of defending PH

A maritime law expert on Monday expressed hope that China would change its attitude following the remark of the United States that it would always be ready to defend the Philippines when it comes to territorial issues in the South China Sea.

At a public briefing, Professor Jay Batongbacal was asked what he thinks China's reaction will be following the statement of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the US will always have the Philippines' back in the South China Sea as well as in other regions.

"Sigurado patuloy pa rin nila tayong susubukan pero dahil nga naging mas malakas na ngayon ang mensahe na mayroon tayong mga kaibigang malalakas eh siguro naman magbabago sila nang kaunti sa kanilang attitude at pose pagdating sa atin," he said.

(Maybe they will still try but since there's already a strong pronouncement from other countries that they are our allies, maybe China will change a bit when it comes to their attitude towards us.)

Austin said President Joe Biden has maintained the US' “ironclad” commitment to protect the Philippines.

He said the Philippines and the US share a common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific "because a region governed by rules and rights help provide security and prosperity for our two countries and for the whole region."

Meanwhile, Batongbacal also welcomed the bilateral defense guidelines set by the two countries as this will be the basis of their security relations.

"Well ito pong bilateral defense guideline ay magandang dokumento po ito dahil una ginugunita niya 'yung basehan noong ating security relationship," he said.

(This bilateral defense guideline is a good document as it is the basis of our security relationship.)

The Philippines and the US established the bilateral defense guidelines between the two countries to modernize the alliance cooperation "for a free and open Indo-Pacific region."

The guidelines "reaffirmed that an armed attack in the Pacific, including anywhere in the South China Sea, on either of their aircraft or armed forces – which includes their Coast Guards – would invoke mutual defense commitments under the 1951 PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty."—AOL, GMA Integrated News