Manila dancing to Biden's destructive tune

The joint statement issued by US President Joe Biden and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday during the latter's visit to the US indicates Washington's latest move to form small cliques with Asia-Pacific countries as part of its overall strategy to contain China. The joint statement also indicates the revival of the Philippines' role as a pawn in the US' competition with China.

Despite repeatedly claiming the Philippines will not be involved in big power competitions, Marcos seems intoxicated by Biden's claim that the US' commitment to defend the Philippines is "ironclad".

In the joint statement, Biden has reaffirmed the US' "ironclad" commitment to the Philippines, claiming that any armed attack on the Philippines' armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, would invoke the US' commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.