The Philippines has officially notified the United States about the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between Manila and Washington, Philippines's top diplomat¹ said on Tuesday.

 

菲律宾首席外交官周二表示，菲律宾已正式通知美国结束双方之间的访问部队协议。

 

"The Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of the United States has received the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement. As a diplomatic courtesy there will be no further factual announcements following this self-explanatory development," Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin tweeted.

 

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed the Philippines' move to end the military agreement that allows the US forces to conduct large-scale joint² military exercises with Philippine troops in the Philippines.

 

Panelo said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte directed Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Monday night to tell Locsin to send the notice of termination to the US government.

 

Panelo told a news conference that the termination process will begin "180 days from the receipt of the notice of the termination."

 

"The effectivity of (the notice of termination) will be 180 days from the receipt of the US government of such notice," Panelo said.

 

"From what I read from the agreement there is no need for the (reply of the US government). There's no response needed," Panelo said, adding Duterte can terminate the VFA himself.

 

"As the president said, it's about time we rely on our own resources. We need to strengthen our own capability³ as a country relative to the defense⁴ of our land," Panelo said.

点击收听单词发音