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Senior officials from the United States and the Philippines discussed their concerns about ongoing Chinese activities in the disputed South China Sea during a call on Wednesday, the White House said, amid reports that Chinese “militia” ships had deployed. in waters where the Philippines has sovereignty.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and Philippine National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon “agreed that the United States and the Philippines will continue to coordinate closely to respond to challenges in the South China Sea,” according to a statement. of the White House.
“Sullivan underscored that the United States supports our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order, and reaffirmed the applicability of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea,” the statement said, attributed to the National Security Council. Spokesperson Emily Horne.
The discussions followed reports on Wednesday that a fleet of China’s “maritime militia” vessels, which was the subject of a diplomatic dispute with Beijing last week, is now scattered over an even wider area within the zone. Philippines Exclusive Economic (SEZ).
In a statement, Manila said it “reiterates its assertion of Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over the islands and the maritime route that surrounds them, and “expresses deep concern over the continued illegal presence (swarm)” of the ships “. that have not withdrawn and have remained” in the area.
“The Philippines calls on China to immediately withdraw these vessels flying its flag.”
The statement added that the “accumulation and mass formation” of ships in the area “is dangerous for navigation and the safety of life at sea.”
Last week, it was revealed that up to 200 ships, believed to belong to the Chinese military, were docked at Whitsun Reef, approximately 320 kilometers (175 nautical miles) west of the island of Palawan, and within the EEZ of Philippines as defined by the International Court of Arbitration.
More boats sighted
Manila had previously ordered Beijing to withdraw the ships, calling its presence in the area, also known as the Western Philippine Sea, an incursion into its sovereign territory.
China, which claims most of the South China Sea, has claimed that the ships are fishing boats that protect themselves from bad weather.
Manila insists they belong to the Beijing maritime militia, frequently accused of conducting covert military operations in the area.
Other Philippine air and sea patrols this week recorded 44 of the Chinese-flagged vessels remaining on the boomerang-shaped reef, said a military task force tasked with monitoring the disputed waters.
About 210 vessels were now “swarming” other reefs and islands in the area, he said.
The Philippine military said it could not confirm whether 92 vessels spotted at Chigua Reef and 84 at Gaven Reef were part of the original flotilla.
Beijing often invokes its so-called “nine-point line” to justify its claims over most of the South China Sea and has ignored a 2016 international court decision in The Hague that ruled the claim was baseless.
The Chinese ships, believed to be manned by personnel from the Chinese maritime militia, were spotted on Saturday at Whitsun Reef, which is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. [Philippine Coast Guard viat Reuters]
In recent years, China has transformed the reefs of the Spratly Archipelago into artificial islands, installing naval and aerial equipment and facilities.
One of them is Mischief Reef, which the Philippines also claims, where the task force said four Chinese navy ships were seen during the patrols.
In a social media post on Thursday, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin also reiterated that any feature within the Philippine SEZ was “ours”, even those with Chinese structures. The “durability and age of the structures do not matter,” he added.
The Philippine military said Wednesday that its plane also received a radio challenge from the Chinese military during a surveillance mission.
Philippine media aboard the flight over Whitsun Reef reported that the Chinese told the aircraft that it was “approaching a Chinese reef” and that it should depart to “avoid any movement that could cause misunderstandings.”
The Philippine military responded by saying that it was proceeding with its flight path as scheduled, as it was conducting a patrol within the “Philippine EEZ”.
Several countries, including the United States, have expressed concern about renewed tensions in the region. The Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines requires both parties to support each other in the event of an incursion from outside parties.
Canada, Australia, Japan and others have also expressed concern about China’s intentions.
Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, China and Vietnam have competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, a key global trade route that is also rich in natural resources.
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