U.S. backs Philippines call for China to respect international law of the sea
Radio Free Asia
The Philippines’ criticism of persistent incursions into its waters by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has drawn support from its ally the United States, which blasted reported “escalating swarms” of Chinese vessels near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands.
In a strongly worded statement, the U.S. State Department in mid-December 2022 demanded the PRC respect the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’s position on the South China Sea, and legal obligations from an international tribunal’s 2016 ruling that determined the Philippines has maritime rights to the disputed area.
That ruling said the PRC violated the Philippines’ sovereign authority to fish and explore resources within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the waters, which Filipinos call the West Philippine Sea. (Pictured: Philippine and PRC coast guard ships patrol west of Zambales province, northwestern Philippines in early March 2022.)
The U.S. statement also faulted the PRC’s “continuing disregard for other South China Sea claimants and states lawfully operating in the region.”
Six parties — Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam — hold claims over parts of the South China Sea, but Beijing’s claim is by far the biggest at up to 90% of the sea.
Manila in early December reported Chinese vessels “swarming” near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.
Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal, although within the Philippines’ EEZ, are also claimed by the PRC.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila rejected the State Department’s “unfounded accusations,” which it said were part of a bid to “stir up troubles and drive a wedge between China and the Philippines.”
Since taking office in June, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly said his government would assert the 2016 court ruling that invalidated all of China’s claims in the South China Sea.
Under Marcos, Manila has ramped up diplomatic protests of Beijing’s frequent incursions in the South China Sea.
Manila in November 2022 accused the Chinese coast guard of forcibly confiscating rocket debris salvaged by a Philippine Coast Guard ship in the Spratlys.
The incident occurred in an area Manila controls, and the Philippine Senate filed a resolution in mid-December condemning the Chinese actions.
The U.S. statement said, “we share the Philippines’ concerns regarding the unsafe encounter that the Chinese coast guard initiated with Philippines naval forces in the South China Sea, as documented before the Senate of the Philippines.”
“The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in upholding the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea as guaranteed under international law,” it stated.
The U.S. has a long-standing defense treaty with the Philippines.
Iroquois Reef is at the southern end of Reed Bank where the Philippines has service contracts for oil and gas exploration, but these activities have been impeded by the PRC.
In the so-called 2019 Reed Bank incident, a Philippine fishing boat anchored at the bank where the Iroquois Reef is located was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel. Manila lodged a diplomatic protest, but Beijing dismissed it, calling the incident an “ordinary maritime accident.” The PRC later apologized.
IMAGE CREDIT: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD
