The Philippines has received reassurance of support from its longtime ally United States following another tense situation involving China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last August 31.
“The United States stands with its ally, the Philippines, and condemns the dangerous and escalatory actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea on August 31,” US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a published statement.
Just four days earlier, China warned a United States official against supporting the Philippines.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in Beijing that “the United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines’ actions of infringement.”
The state-run Xinhua news agency reported that Wang and Sullivan sat down in Beijing through two days, August 27 and 28, for a host of topics that included the possibility of bilateral talks between presidents XI Jinping and Joe Biden. The meetings between Wang and Sullivan were described as “candid, substantive and constructive.”
On August 31, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) claimed that a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel repeatedly rammed PCG vessel BRP Teresa Magbunua by intention. The Filipino vessel suffered major damage in the latest hostility at the vicinity of Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal) situated only 75 nautical miles from Palawan mainland.
PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a press conference September 1 that CCG vessel 5205 directly rammed BRP Teresa Magbanua’s port bow at least three times “despite our unprovoked action and presence in Escoda Shoal.”
The United States promptly noted the apparent Chinese aggression in WPS.
“This is the latest in a series of dangerous and escalatory actions by the PRC. On multiple occasions throughout August 2024, the PRC has aggressively disrupted lawful Philippine aerial and maritime operations in the South China Sea, including at Sabina Shoal,” the US State Department said.
“The PRC’s unlawful claims of “territorial sovereignty” over ocean areas where no land territory exists, and its increasingly aggressive actions to enforce them, threaten the freedoms of navigation and overflight of all nations,” it added.
Noting that that the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty “extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” the US State Department asked China to respect international law and “desist from dangerous and destabilizing conduct.”
China, however, has another version of the latest incident.
CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun said in an August 31 press statement that an “illegally stranded” Philippine ship “deliberately rammed” a Chinese vessel.
The Chinese Embassy wondered aloud why the Philippine ship has stayed in the area since April. ”The Philippines is trying to create another Renai Jiao (Ayungin Shoal) situation in Escoda Shoal,’’ the Chinese Embassy was quoted to have said. ‘That’s the root cause of everything now.’’
The CCG spokesperson urged the Philippines to withdraw immediately “or bear the consequences.”
In response, the PCG said it would not withdraw its ship despite Chinese actions which it called “harassment, bullying and escalatory.”
National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesperson Alexander Lopez said on the same day that Philippine vessel has been in the area in the exercise of sovereign rights based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
