“IRONCLAD”
The United States has sought to strengthen defence cooperation with its allies in the region to counter China’s growing influence.
Top US officials have repeatedly declared the United States’ “ironclad” commitment to defending the Philippines, a treaty ally, against an armed attack in the South China Sea – to the consternation of Beijing.
China claims nearly all of the waterway despite competing claims from other countries, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.
China’s Coast Guard said Saturday it had “handled” a situation at a disputed reef on Thursday, when it claimed several ships from the Philippines were engaged in “illegal” operations.
“Under the guise of ‘protecting fishing’, Philippine government ships have illegally violated and provoked, organised media to deliberately incite and mislead, continuing to undermine stability in the South China Sea,” spokesman Gan Yu said.
“We are telling the Philippines that any infringement tactics are in vain,” Gan said, adding that China would “regularly enforce the law in waters under (its) jurisdiction”.
Relations between Manila and Beijing have deteriorated under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who has taken a stronger stance than his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte against Chinese actions in the sea.
There have been several confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels near contested reefs in recent months, including collisions.
Marcos issued a statement on Mar 28 vowing the country would not be “cowed into silence, submission, or subservience” by China.
He also said the Philippines would respond to recent incidents with countermeasures that would be “proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable”.
