US calls for end to Chinese provocation in Ayungin

WASHINGTON – The United States has called on China to allow the Philippines to continue to maintain its presence on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea and said Chinese efforts to prevent Filipinos from resupplying the outpost were “provocative and destabilizing.”

State Department spokesperson Marie Harf, in a press briefing on Monday, said the Chinese coast guard harassed Philippine vessels and attempted to block these vessels from conducting a routine re-supply and rotation of personnel on Ayungin Shoal on Saturday.

Aside from being provocative and destabilizing, Chinese actions were inconsistent with freedom of navigation, she said.

It was the second day in a row that the United States has come out in support of the Philippines in its dispute with China over islands, reefs and shoals in the West Philippine Sea. The areas being coveted by China are well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

On Sunday, the State Department reaffirmed US support for Manila’s submission of a memorial or written argument to a United Nations tribunal to buttress its case against China’s claim over almost the entire South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.

It said the Philippines had the right to avail itself of dispute resolution mechanisms provided for under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

In Monday’s press briefing, Harf said the Philippines has maintained its naval presence on Ayungin since 1999, specifically on grounded BRP Sierra Madre being used as garrison by a handful of Marines.

“We believe that they (the Philippines) should be able to resupply the folks that are there,” she said.

“Like other claimants, including China, the Philippines is permitted, under the principles of the 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, to maintain previously established outposts without interference from other parties,” she said.

“As a treaty ally of the Republic of the Philippines, the United States urges China to refrain from further provocative behavior by allowing the Philippines to continue to maintain its presence at Second Thomas Shoal,” she said. “We urge China to manage disputes peacefully, to clarify its ambiguous claim in accordance with international law and to accelerate negotiations with ASEAN on a meaningful code of conduct.”

When a reporter asked what was the intention of the US in sending a Navy plane over the disputed area over the weekend, Harf said she did not have any details on it and referred the reporter to the defense department.

“We’ve said repeatedly that there needs to be a peaceful management and resolution of disputes, including the Second Thomas Shoal. So we want there to be de-escalation here. We don’t want there to be conflict,” she added.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel leaves Tuesday for a week-long visit to Japan, China and Mongolia.

He said the trip was to reemphasize the rebalance strategic interests of the United States, to reassure allies and to again make very clear US commitment to allies in the Asia Pacific.

But first he will attend a two-day ASEAN defense ministers meeting in Hawaii where the situation in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea will likely be discussed.

Restraint

Despite the Ayungin incident, troops and naval patrols guarding Philippine territories being claimed by China are under orders to exercise restraint.

The military leadership gave Western Command (Wescom) chief Lt. Gen. Roy Deveraturda the orders so as to prevent tensions in the region from escalating. Wescom has jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea.

“Our men on forward deployment at the Kalayaan Group of Islands (KIG) are under strict orders to observe our own set rules of engagement. No amount of China’s bullying or provocation will draw us to move first against them,” said a middle-grade naval officer.

“We monitored everything through our radio but we are under orders to keep our distance as per our rules of engagement. But we are also prepared to respond to any emergencies,” said a senior navy officer whose patrol gunboat had just delivered provisions to troops stationed in other islets within the KIG.  â€“ Jaime Laude, Reuters