China warned the Philippines on Monday to proceed with caution and seek dialogue, saying relations were at a “crossroads” and a new confrontation between the two coast guards over maritime claims heightened tensions.
Ted Alguib | AFP | Getty Images
China warned the Philippines on Monday to proceed with caution and seek dialogue, saying relations were at a “crossroads” and a new confrontation between the two coast guards over maritime claims heightened tensions.
This is second such warning China’s foreign ministry issued the statement three months into a public spat between the two countries over territorial claims to the Spratly Islands. The Nansha Islands are an uninhabited archipelago in the South China Sea.
The message was delivered by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong during a phone call with Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teresa Lazaro as friction between the two sides worsened. quarrel Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Lazaro conveyed Manila’s “strongest protest” against the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia’s aggressive behavior against the Philippines’ supply mission in the South China Sea.
Chen Haitao said in the statement that China once again urges the Philippines to abide by its commitments and consensus, stop maritime abuse and provocation, stop any unilateral actions that may complicate the situation, and truly return to the right track of properly handling differences through dialogue. and negotiate with China. “
The Philippines accused China’s coast guard of using high-pressure water cannon on a civilian vessel supplying troops at Second Thomas Shoal on Saturday, causing damage to the vessel and injuring some of its crew.
This is the latest a series of outbursts In the past year.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs summoned China’s charge d’affaires in Manila on Monday to protest the “acts of aggression” following the incident.
“China’s continued interference in the Philippines’ daily lawful activities in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is unacceptable,” the Philippines said in a separate statement, adding that it had lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing.
“This violates the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” the statement said, asking Chinese ships to leave the area.
The China Coast Guard said on Saturday it had taken necessary measures measure Oppose Philippine ships to intrude into its waters.
Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own, including Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within the Philippines’ 200-mile (320-kilometer) exclusive economic zone.
The Philippines deliberately beached an old warship on the shoal in 1999 as a means of solidifying its territorial claims and has stationed a small military force there ever since.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the Philippines had reneged on its promise to tow the ship and “violated its repeated commitments to China.”
The Philippines has repeatedly denied making any such commitment and said it would not abandon its position on Second Thomas Shoal.
China has deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels throughout the South China Sea to patrol waters it considers its own, despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in a case filed in Manila that the claim had no basis in international law. China refused to recognize the results.
Philippine security chiefs held a high-level meeting on Monday over the reported water cannon incident, preparing to make recommendations to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to resolve the dispute.
Since coming to power in 2022, Marcos has taken a hard line against what he sees as Chinese hostility and has resisted Chinese pressure to avoid waters it claims.
China is skeptical of Marcos’ efforts to deepen engagement with U.S. defense treaty allies, which include increasing U.S. military base access and expanding military exercises to include joint air and maritime patrols.
Washington said it stood with the Philippines and condemned China’s “dangerous behavior.” Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Australia also issued statements supporting the Philippines.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference on Monday that “the United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue, but it has repeatedly intervened and provoked maritime issues between China and the Philippines.”
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro suggested on Monday that China should demonstrate the strength of its maritime claims through arbitration rather than vagueness.
“If China is not afraid to assert its claims to the world, then why don’t we arbitrate in accordance with international law?” Teodoro of the Philippines told reporters. “No country believes (their claims) and they see this as their way of using force, intimidation and forcing the Philippines to surrender to their ambitions.”
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