‘iron clad’ -- FT
Joe Biden said the US commitment to defend the Philippines was “iron clad” days after the American ally accused Beijing of dangerously harassing a patrol ship in the South China Sea.
In a joint statement after meeting his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the US president said any attack on Philippine aircraft or ships in the South China Sea would trigger their mutual defence treaty.
Marcos is on a four-day visit to the US that marks the latest effort by the Biden administration to shore up alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter the Chinese military.
