2023-12-11 04:34:00
The US asked China to stop its “dangerous and destabilizing conduct” against the Philippines in the South Sea (EFE/EPA/Philippine Coast Guard)
The United States on Sunday urged Beijing to stop its “dangerous and destabilizing” actions in the South China Sea, after a Philippine vessel and a Chinese coast guard ship collided near a disputed reef.
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Both countries accused each other early Sunday following the collision, the latest confrontation in claimed waters.
In a State Department statement signed by spokesperson Matthew Miller, US. He showed his support for the Philippines “in the face of these dangerous and illegal actions.”
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The incident occurred during a resupply mission of a Philippine ship on a sandbank in the Spratly Islands, a flashpoint of conflict between Manila and Beijing, a day after another incident.
On both occasions, the Chinese ships “used water cannons and reckless maneuvers, even forcing a collision that damaged Philippine ships carrying out official supply missions to those places, and endangering the safety of the Filipino crew,” the text states.
US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller
In the previous incident that occurred on the Scarborough sandbar, the ships “also used acoustic devices, incapacitating the Filipino crew,” he added.
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“These actions reflect not only a reckless disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos, but also for international law,” Miller added in the note.
The Philippines and China have a long history of maritime incidents in the disputed South China Sea, including two previous collisions.
Beijing claims almost all of these waters, including waters and islands near the shores of other neighboring countries, and has ignored a ruling by an international court that ruled its claims have no legal basis.
China deploys ships to patrol the busy sea lane and has built artificial islands with a military presence to bolster its claims.
The Philippines and China have a long history of maritime incidents in the disputed South China Sea (REUTERS/FILE)
Miller added that the court’s 2016 ruling “is final and legally binding with respect to the PRC and the Philippines,” referring to the acronym for the People’s Republic of China, its official name.
“The United States calls on (China) to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing behavior,” the statement said.
“The United States supports our Philippine allies in the face of these dangerous and illegal actions,” adds the spokesperson and clarifies that the mutual defense treaty between the United States and the Philippines “extends to armed attacks on the Philippine armed forces, official vessels or aircraft. , including those of its Coast Guard anywhere in the South China Sea,” explained the senior official.
Relations between Manila and Beijing have deteriorated under President Ferdinand Marcos, who has sought to improve ties with his traditional ally the United States and oppose Chinese actions in the South China Sea.
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