BLUF
Under a 1951 treaty, Washington is obligated to defend the Philippines if the forces, vessels, or aircraft of the Philippines come under attack in the disputed waters.Summary
KEY POINTS:
- In the latest incident, at least two Philippine-owned ships were damaged.
- Manila has sought US military support as incidents with China multiply.
- In 2016, an arbitration ruling invalidated China’s claims to the South China Sea.
