MANILA, Philippines — Steps taken by China in the South China Sea that were coercive and against international law are “destabilizing” and “deeply unacceptable,” a ranking State Department official said yesterday.
“We have seen in a number of instances where the People’s Republic of China has taken a number of steps in the South China Sea that both run counter to international law, but that also utilize coercion to intimidate partners in ways that we find deeply unacceptable and destabilizing,” Assistant State Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said at an online press briefing.
The US was among the countries and institutions that strongly condemned the China Coast Guard’s latest attempt last Tuesday to stop Filipino vessels from delivering supplies and provisions to troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
Kritenbrink said the focus of the US in the Indo-Pacific including in Southeast Asia is investing in the collective capacity of its partners to support a rules-based regional order and to advance shared challenges.
“I would say in particular for many of our friends in Southeast Asia, especially the five claimant states, they are especially concerned about the situation in the South China Sea,” he added.
The official stated that the US continues to focus on diplomacy, including with partners in ASEAN, to make sure that all countries, including all claimants in the South China Sea are committed to recognizing and respecting freedom of navigation, freedom of overflight, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
“So the United States has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in partners’ maritime domain awareness capabilities because we believe that the more countries are able to understand what is happening in their maritime domains and defend their own interests in the maritime domains, we further promote stability across the region,” he added.
He noted that the US continues to be physically present in the region on a daily basis and continues to fly, sail and operate everywhere that international law allows, demonstrating that all countries share those same rights.
“So our goal, again, is to promote peace and stability, security and prosperity, promote respect for international law, peaceful resolution of disputes, but also ensure that countries have their own ability to protect their sovereignty and their own interests,” Kritenbrink said. “And we think if we do that, we maximize our chances of preventing miscalculation and conflict and, again, promoting peace and stability.”
The US has reaffirmed its commitment to defend the Philippines under the two countries’ Mutual Defense Treaty.
“The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,” the State Department said
Philippines flag stays on Sierra Madre
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, said the Sierra Madre will continue to fly the Philippine flag to demonstrate the country’s determination to protect and defend its territory against China’s aggression.
Carlos made the pronouncement two days after the Ayungin incident on Tuesday. The Chinese resorted to using water cannons and engaging in “dangerous maneuver” to stop the resupply mission, leaving four Filipinos injured – including Carlos – and two vessels slightly damaged. One Filipino resupply boat managed to unload its cargo on Sierra Madre.
Carlos stressed the rotation and resupply mission would continue despite Chinese intimidation.
“What happened won’t stop us from carrying out our mission. We will follow the President’s order to keep the Sierra Madre there, and we will make sure the Sierra Madre stays there and continues to fly the Philippine Flag,” he said in an interview with dzBB yesterday.
He said the damaged Unaizah Mae 4 would be immediately repaired and deployed for the next RORE mission. Cannon water blasts shattered its windshield.
“We already sent our reports and our guidance from the President is – we will not yield, we are undeterred, our West Philippine Sea operations will continue,” Carlos said.
“We will continue our patrols, our exercise of sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction. There’s no stopping it,” he maintained.
In a speaking engagement in Basilan, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said Filipinos should prepare and stand united against a “big challenge” from a foreign country. While he did not name the country, he was apparently referring to China.
“We can no longer be disunited because we are facing a big challenge from outside forces who do not recognize God but only the works of men, and that’s the country,” Teodoro said.
“That is why, in order for us to face that challenge which is coming from outside, we have to address our internal challenges. That is our appeal,” he added.
Japan: Serious concern
China’s latest attempt to stop the RORE mission for the Sierra Madre outpost drew condemnation from several countries including the US.
Yesterday, the Japanese embassy expressed “serious concern” over the Chinese’ “dangerous actions” that could further exacerbate regional tensions.
Japan, through its embassy in Manila, said it “believes that the issue concerning the South China Sea is directly related to the peace and stability of the region and is a legitimate concern of the international community, and thus Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea.”
Japan also said it “highly appreciates” the Philippines’ consistent compliance with the 2016 arbitral award as well as its commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.
“Such arbitral award is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” it said adding “that the parties’ compliance with the award will lead to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea.”
China: Wrong perception
In Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the US is clinging to wrong perceptions of China and has yet to fulfill its “promises” despite some progress since Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping met last November.
Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of an annual parliament meeting in Beijing, Wang said exchanges between both countries can only continue if both sides respect and recognize their differences.
“It has to be pointed out that the US side’s erroneous perception of China continues, and the promises it has made have not really been fulfilled,” Wang said at the National People’s Congress.
“The methods of suppressing China are constantly being renewed, and the list of unilateral sanctions is constantly being extended,” he said.
The “crimes” the US wanted to add to the list China had supposedly committed “have reached an unbelievable level,” Wang said.
Still, Biden had made it clear the US would not seek a new Cold War nor seek to change the Chinese system or back Taiwan’s independence, Wang said.
In an annual and wide-ranging discussion, Wang struck a relatively measured tone as he also covered relations with Russia and the Ukraine conflict, Europe, China’s stuttering economy and artificial intelligence. – Michael Punongbayan, Artemio Dumlao, Roel Pareño