In this photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photography Department, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during the virtual plenary session of the ASEAN-China Special Summit, on Monday, November 22.
Richard Madelo / AP
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Richard Madelo / AP
In this photo provided by the Malacanang Presidential Photography Department, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during the virtual plenary session of the ASEAN-China Special Summit, on Monday, November 22.
Richard Madelo / AP
MANILA, Philippines (AP) – The Philippine Navy successfully transported food supplies to marines guarding a disputed shoal in the South China Sea on Tuesday, a week after its coast guard China used water cannons to force supply ships to turn around, sparking outrage and warnings from Manila, officials said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said two wooden boats carrying naval personnel approached the Marines stationed on military ships at Second Thomas Shoal without major incidents. President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his displeasure on Monday during a regional summit led by Chinese President Xi Jinping over China’s blockade of supply ships last week.
However, Lorenzana said that while Philippine naval personnel were unloading cargo from the boats, a Chinese coast guard ship deployed a dinghy with three staff members to take photos and videos of the Philippine forces. “I spoke to the Chinese ambassador that we consider these actions a form of intimidation and harassment,” Lorenzana said.
He said the supply boats reached the shoal without Philippine military escort at the request of the Chinese ambassador to Manila, who assured him over the weekend that the boats would not be stopped. But a Philippine military plane flew in when the supply ships arrived around midday at the remote shoal, which has been surrounded by Chinese surveillance ships in a long territorial standoff. year.
The Philippines says the shoal is within an internationally recognized exclusive economic zone, but China insists it has sovereignty over the sea and has the right to protect it.
Officials say the Philippine government has conveyed “indignation, condemnation and opposition to the incident” to China after two Chinese coast guard vessels intercepted two Philippine ships on November 16 and a third coast guard vessel. spray high pressure water on the vessels. , which were forced to abort their resupply mission.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr warned China that the supply ships were part of a mutual defense treaty with the United States. Washington later said it sided with the Philippines “in the face of this escalation that directly threatens the peace and stability of the region”, while reiterating “an armed attack on Philippine public ships in the Philippines”. The South China Sea will invoke the United States’ mutual defense commitments” under the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded to the Philippine protests by saying that China’s coast guard had upheld China’s sovereignty after Philippine ships entered the waters. of China at night without permission.
Mr. Duterte, who has fostered closer ties with China, did not comment on China’s actions until Monday, when he raised the issue at a meeting of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Southeast Asian countries and China, using the name Philippines for the shoal.
“We abhor the recent incident at Ayungin Shoal and look with grave concern over other similar developments,” Duterte said. “This does not speak to the relationship between our countries and our partnership.”
Diplomats said Xi did not directly respond to Duterte’s remarks but offered assurances that China would not bully its smaller neighbors or seek dominance in Southeast Asia.
China’s increasingly assertive actions in the disputed waters have been opposed by a number of claimants, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.
It is the latest outbreak in long simmering disputes in the strategic waterway, where China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims. China has turned seven shoals into missile-protected island bases to bolster its claim, raising tensions.
