Philippines summons China envoy over standoff, dares Beijing to seek arbitration

[March 25, 2024]  By Neil Jerome Morales and Karen Lema

MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines summoned China's envoy on Monday to protest against "aggressive actions" in the South China Sea at the weekend, as Manila's defense minister dared Beijing to bolster its vast sovereignty claims by taking them to international arbitration.

The foreign ministry accused China's coastguard of using water cannon against a civilian boat supplying troops on Saturday at the Second Thomas Shoal, which it said damaged the boat and injured some crew, in the latest in a succession of flare-ups in the past year.

"China's continued interference with the Philippines' routine and lawful activities in its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is unacceptable," the Philippine foreign ministry said in a statement, which announced the charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy had been summoned and a diplomatic protest lodged in Beijing.

"It infringes upon the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction," it said, demanding Chinese vessels leave the area.

China's coastguard said on Saturday it took necessary measures against Philippine vessels that were intruding in its waters.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, including the Second Thomas Shoal, which is within the Philippines' 200 mile (320 km) EEZ.

The Philippines intentionally grounded an old warship at the shoal in 1999, as a means of bolstering its territorial claims and has kept a small contingent of military there ever since.

China's foreign ministry insisted on Monday that the Philippines has reneged on a promise to tow away the ship, "violating the commitments it has made to the Chinese side on many occasions."

But the Philippines has repeatedly denied making such a commitment, and has said it will not abandon its position at the Second Thomas Shoal.

China has deployed hundreds of coastguard vessel throughout the South China Sea to patrol what it considers its waters, despite a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in a case brought by Manila that said the claim had no basis under international law. China has refused to recognize that outcome.

Philippine security chiefs convened a high-level meeting on Monday over the incident to prepare recommendations to put to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on ways forward in the dispute.

A Chinese navy ship is seen sailing in the South China Sea, October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Adrian Portugal/File Photo

HEIGHTENED TENSIONS

Since taking power in 2022, Marcos has taken a tough line against what he sees as Chinese hostility and has refused to cave in to Beijing's pressure to steer clear of features it claims.

The tensions come at a time when Marcos is seeking to deepen engagement with defence treaty ally the United States, including increasing base access for U.S. troops and expanding military exercises to include joint air and sea patrols, developments China has viewed with suspicion.

Washington has said it stands with the Philippines as it condemned the "dangerous actions" of China. Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Australia have also issued statements of support for the Philippines.

"The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue but repeatedly intervened, provoke the maritime issues between China and the Philippines," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference on Monday.

In comments likely to rile Beijing, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro suggested on Monday that China should show the strength of its maritime claims through arbitration, rather than ambiguity.

"If China is not afraid to state its claims to the world, then why don't we arbitrate under international law?" Philippines' Teodoro told reporters.

"No country believes (their claims) and they see this as their way to use force, intimidate and bend the Philippines to their ambitions."

(Reporting by Karen Lema and Neil Jerome Morales; Additional reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Martin Petty and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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