The Philippines decided to suspend and end the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States once again
Manila, November 11 Philippine Foreign Minister Lochin issued a statement on the 11th that Philippine President Duterte has decided to once again suspend and terminate the “Visiting Forces Agreement” signed between the Philippines and the United States. The suspension period is 6 Months.
Lochin said in the statement that the Philippines chose to suspend the termination of the “Visiting Forces Agreement” again in order to allow the two sides to “find a more reciprocal, mutually acceptable, and more effective and lasting plan on how to advance the common defense.”
In February of this year, the Philippine government announced that it would terminate the “Visiting Forces Agreement” signed with the United States. However, the Philippine side has since proposed to suspend the termination of the agreement for 6 months since June 1 “based on changes in the current regional situation.” After the expiration of the month, the Philippines has the right to suspend the termination of the agreement again for 6 months.
The “Visiting Forces Agreement” is one of the important military agreements signed between the Philippines and the United States in 1998. The agreement stipulates the conditions, scope of activities and available facilities for the entry of U.S. military personnel, military-related personnel and military equipment into the Philippines, including the relevant content of military exercises between the two sides.
According to the agreement between the two parties, if the agreement is to be terminated, either party must notify the other party in writing through diplomatic channels, and the agreement will automatically terminate after 180 days of notification.
