The Philippines and the US jointly seized a vessel in the South China Sea (SCS) on Monday, Manila’s military said on Tuesday, days after China used a water cannon to injure three Filipino fishermen – an act a defense official described as “inhumane.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the Philippine military said three A-29B Super Tucano turboprop aircraft and FA-50 fighter jets joined the exercises alongside a Philippine missile frigate. BRP Miguel Malvarwhen the US deployed its guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smallsa maritime patrol plane and a helicopter.
The joint sails reflect the “shared commitment of the Philippines and the US to the Indo-Pacific region,” the Philippine military said in a statement.
The joint naval exercises came shortly after the Philippines accused China’s coast guard of endangering the lives of Filipino fishermen near disputed territory in the South China Sea. This also followed the 9th The Philippine-US Maritime Cooperative Activity, held just on Dec. 9-10.
China’s coast guard fired on Philippine fishing boats in Sabina Shoal on Friday, injuring three Filipino fishermen and damaging two vessels, the Manila coast guard said.
On Monday, the US voiced its support for the Philippines, criticizing what it called Beijing’s aggressive behavior in the waterway.
Manila and Washington are long-standing allies, with their security relationship rooted in the 1950 Mutual Defense Treaty that binds both countries to help each other in the event of armed conflict in the Pacific, including the South China Sea.
Philippine officials have described China’s activities as coercive and escalating, while Beijing insists its surveillance and enforcement actions are legitimate actions to protect its sovereignty.
‘IT IS DANGEROUS AND NOBODY’
In a separate statement on Tuesday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. he said the actions taken by the Chinese navy against Filipino fishermen in Escoda are “dangerous and inhumane,” adding that Manila has “undisputed sovereignty” over this aspect.
Sabina Shoal lies about 150 kilometers west of the Philippine province of Palawan.
China claims rights to almost the entire South China Sea through the so-called nine-dash line, a claim that overlaps with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
A United Nations-backed arbitration ruling in 2016 dismissed China’s claims, although Beijing refused to recognize the decision.
“China’s claims of undisputed sovereignty over this feature are illegitimate and baseless,” Mr. Teodoro.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday said that the measures taken are necessary to protect the sovereignty of the area.
“The water blasting, the aggressive movement and the cutting of the ropes that lead to the physical injuries of the citizens of the Philippines are completely incompatible with the duty of all countries to ensure the safety of people’s lives,” said Mr. Teodoro.
The Philippines will continue to support Filipino fishermen in the South China Sea, he added, adding that the government would be taking “appropriate diplomatic and legal measures” after Friday’s incident.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, through Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro, earlier said that the Philippine government will bring a trip to the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Monday.
The Southeast Asian country has relied heavily on international cooperation to develop its military capabilities, and has held numerous joint exercises with allies across the country as part of its efforts to bolster its defenses amid China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. – Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
