The State Department has joined the Philippines in condemning what it called “dangerous actions” by China’s coast guard in the latest flare-up of tensions over clashing territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Philippine military officials said Sunday a Chinese government ship used “excessive and offensive” force in deploying a water cannon to drive back one of two Filipino supply boats that were delivering troops and supplies to a Phillippines-occupied shoal.
The Chinese vessel blocked access even though an international tribunal has already ruled in Manila’s favor against aggressive maritime territorial claims Beijing has made in the vast, strategic waterway.
China’s aggressive sovereignty claims have led to tensions with the U.S. and a slew of allies around the region, including the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.
Australia and Japan also issued formal protests of the Chinese blocking maneuver, The Associated Press reported. China has yet to comment officially on the encounter.
“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in the face of dangerous actions by the Coast Guard and maritime militia of the People’s Republic of China to obstruct an August 5 Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea,” the State Department spokesman’s office said late Saturday in a statement.
“Firing water cannons and employing unsafe blocking maneuvers, PRC ships interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and crew,” the statement said.
The U.S. noted that it has mutual defense agreements with Manila and would come to its aid in the event of an armed attack on its ships, planes or armed forces.
The Philippine military in a statement Sunday said the Chinese coast guard water cannons prevented one of its supply boats from reaching and re-supplying a long-marooned Philippine navy ship.
Beijing has protested in the past that the ship was deliberately left at its position on the shoal more than two decades ago in order to bolster Manila’s claims to the atoll.
Chinese forces acted “in wanton disregard of the safety of the people on board,” the Philippine military said, but did not indicate if the incident resulted in any casualties.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.