China warns PH-US alliance must keep off SCS disputes
Published Apr 12, 2023 03:59 am
China has warned the Philippines and the US that their military cooperation must not harm its interests, including those in the South China Sea.
As Manila and Washington beefed up efforts to protect Philippine sovereignty against Beijing's claims in the waters, Wang Wenbin, spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that "exchange and cooperation between relevant countries should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability."
Photo courtesy of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin's Facebook page
He said the Philippine-US military cooperation "must not interfere in South China Sea disputes" and "still less, harm China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests." The statement came in the heels of the two countries' expansion of their military alliance in response to China's continuous aggressive and incursive activities in the West Philippine Sea, an internationally-recognized part of the Philippine territory within the bigger South China Sea. Disputes in the South China Sea remain ongoing, although in the context of the West Philippine Sea, a 2016 Arbitral Award already ruled that it is part of Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—a decision China solely rejects. Meanwhile, speaking in Washington on Wednesday morning (Manila time) after the conclusion of high-level talks with American officials, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo said the alliance is just an "instrument" of peace. But aside from that, he added, it will "also be a force for good that brings about sustained economic benefits to our two countries, down to our local communities." Filipino and American officials had repeatedly said that the military cooperation between the two countries is not directed against any country. But the US is firm in its commitment that it would invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines should there be any attack against Philippine forces and assets. "We redoubled our commitment to modernizing the Philippine-US alliance, recognizing that our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order," Manalo said. Manalo and Department of National Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez as well as their US counterparts, Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, have just objected China's "unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea." They rejected Beijing's use of reclamation "as a means of rationalizing or propagating unlawful maritime claims" and said that such activities are in "direct contravention of the principles outlined in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which restrains signatories from doing activities in the waters.
Photo courtesy of Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin's Facebook page
He said the Philippine-US military cooperation "must not interfere in South China Sea disputes" and "still less, harm China's territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests." The statement came in the heels of the two countries' expansion of their military alliance in response to China's continuous aggressive and incursive activities in the West Philippine Sea, an internationally-recognized part of the Philippine territory within the bigger South China Sea. Disputes in the South China Sea remain ongoing, although in the context of the West Philippine Sea, a 2016 Arbitral Award already ruled that it is part of Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—a decision China solely rejects. Meanwhile, speaking in Washington on Wednesday morning (Manila time) after the conclusion of high-level talks with American officials, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo said the alliance is just an "instrument" of peace. But aside from that, he added, it will "also be a force for good that brings about sustained economic benefits to our two countries, down to our local communities." Filipino and American officials had repeatedly said that the military cooperation between the two countries is not directed against any country. But the US is firm in its commitment that it would invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines should there be any attack against Philippine forces and assets. "We redoubled our commitment to modernizing the Philippine-US alliance, recognizing that our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order," Manalo said. Manalo and Department of National Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez as well as their US counterparts, Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, have just objected China's "unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea." They rejected Beijing's use of reclamation "as a means of rationalizing or propagating unlawful maritime claims" and said that such activities are in "direct contravention of the principles outlined in the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which restrains signatories from doing activities in the waters.