‘US, allies must act vs China’s bullying’

MANILA, Philippines — A US senator has underscored the need for Washington, its friends and allies to act together to stop Chinese bullying and dangerous actions in the South China Sea.

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who was recently in Manila for a visit, met with Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Department of Foreign Affairs Office of American Affairs Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Defense, security and Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) were discussed in Scott’s meetings with Philippine officials.

“My big concern is with our friends, allies and partners, that China stops bullying; and to do that is by being partners and acting together, how we work with partners to make sure you stop the bullying by China,” Scott told selected journalists.

“It’s important that South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Australia and the European Union – we all

recognize the risk if communist China gets (its) way,” he said.

The lawmaker was briefed about Chinese activities in the WPS.

“I had a briefing about what communist China has been doing in the West Philippine Sea and I’m going to do whatever I can to educate people around the world what China has been doing because it is an encroachment on the sovereignty of the Philippines, and it is inappropriate,” Scott stressed.

The Republican senator, who sounded the alarm on the risks that China-made equipment such as drones pose to US national security, called Beijing a national security threat to the US.

“If you look at Chinese bullying of Filipino fishermen, everybody acknowledges that China is a bully. They want to lord over as many people as they can,” he added.

The US urged China to follow international law and stop harassing vessels of claimant states operating in their exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

An arbitral tribunal constituted under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention rejected China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, including areas determined by the tribunal to be part of the Philippines’ EEZ and continental shelf and resources.

With the increase in Chinese coercion and dangerous operations in the South China Sea, the US underscored it is deeply committed to alliance obligations with the Philippines.