By Junex Doronio
MANILA — This is what friends are for.
Being an old reliable ally, the United States assumed the role of “Big Brother” as it called on China on Wednesday (06 March 2024) to halt its provocative actions against the Philippines in the wake of the reported collision between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and the much larger China Coast Guard (CCG) ships.
On Tuesday (05 March 2024), the US took notice that China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them, leaving four crew injured during a resupply mission in waters around Ayungin Shoal.
With this latest harassment within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the US State Department condemned China’s actions, which “show disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos and international law.”
Agency spokesperson Matthew Miller cited an international tribunal 2016 ruling that China has “no lawful maritime claims” to the waters around Ayungin, which is “clearly within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.”
“As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” Miller said in a press conference.
He added that the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine vessels, including those of the Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea.
The agreement requires Washington to support Manila in the event of an attack.
But Miller declined to say whether the treaty could be triggered by the latest incident.
“I’m not going to speculate or get out ahead of any discussions with – in this regard,” the US State Department official said.
For their part, the CCG stood firm that it “took control measures” against Philippine ships’ “illegal intrusion” in waters around the shoal.
(el Amigo/MNM)
