US military open to escorting Philippine ships in the South China Sea, senior admiral says

Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Indo-Pacific commander Adm. Samuel Paparo says the U.S. military is open to the possibility of escorting Philippine ships in the disputed South China Sea, depending on consultations under the allies’ 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. Adm. Samuel Paparo’s remarks, which he made in response to a question during a news conference in Manila on Tuesday with Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., provided a glimpse of the mindset of one of the highest American military commanders outside the U.S. mainland on a prospective operation that would risk putting U.S. Navy ships in direction collision with those of China.