Philippines to boost diplomacy and defense capability as South China Sea 'countermeasures'

[April 01, 2024]  MANILA (Reuters) - Countermeasures by the Philippines to China's conduct in the South China Sea will entail strengthening its defense capabilities with allies and exhausting all diplomatic measures to resolve disputes, a security official said on Monday.  

Chinese Maritime Militia vessels are pictured near the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024. REUTERS/Adrian Portugal/File Photo

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr last week said the Philippines would implement unspecified measures against "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks" by China's coastguard, upping the stakes in an escalating row in the South China Sea.

"The proportionate, deliberate and reasonable response the president was talking about covered not only the aspect of strengthening military and defense capabilities with other allies ...but it also talks about exhausting diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue," National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said on state TV, describing the package as multi-dimensional.

Marcos also ordered his government to strengthen its coordination on maritime security to confront "a range of serious challenges" to territorial integrity and peace, according to a copy of the directive released on Sunday.

China's foreign ministry on Monday said regardless of what policies the Philippines rolls out, none would affect China's maritime rights of sovereignty claims.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, policed by an armada of coastguard vessels, some more than 1,000 km away from its mainland.

The Philippines and China have had a series run-ins at sea in the past year over disputed maritime features, coinciding with Manila ramping up defense engagements with ally and former colonial power the United States.

The latest flare-up occurred on March 24, when China used water cannon to disrupt a Philippine resupply mission to the Second Thomas Shoal for soldiers guarding a warship intentionally grounded on a reef 25 years ago.

Defense officials traded barbs late last week, with China saying the Philippines was to blame for the breakdown of relations, accusing its neighbor of provocations, misinformation and treachery.

The Philippines responded, accusing China of being patronizing and intimidating smaller countries.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)

[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.