(Reuters) The United States and the Philippines have agreed on new guidelines for their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, following multiple requests by Manila to make clear the conditions under which Washington would come to its defence.

WHY DID THE PHILIPPINES WANT CLARIFICATION?
Though the United States has reassured the Philippines their defence partnership is “ironclad”, Manila has argued the seven-decade-old treaty needs updating to reflect a different global security environment.

The renewed pushunder President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who is in Washington this week, came as the Philippines complains of an increase in aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea by Chinese coast guard and fishing vessels suspected of being maritime militia.

The Philippines, which relies heavily on energy imports, is also keen to start exploiting natural gas reserves in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that China also lays claim to.