The recent pronouncements from US and Philippine diplomats solidify the strong alliance between the two nations, offering reassurance amidst growing tensions in the South China Sea. While the US emphasizes its commitment to Philippine security and criticizes China's actions, China maintains its claims and asserts its right to operate in the region.
The recent statements from top diplomats in Washington, particularly those from the Trump administration, regarding the strong alliance between the United States and the Philippines, have instilled a sense of confidence, especially amidst the persistent incursions of foreign vessels into the West Philippine Sea.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's discussion with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo about China's 'dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea' is particularly noteworthy. During this conversation, Rubio emphasized the 'ironclad' US defense commitment to the Philippines, a commitment enshrined in the Mutual Defense Pact signed in 1951 in Washington, DC. However, China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, countered these claims, asserting that China's activities in the waters are 'reasonable, lawful and beyond reproach.' Mao argued that the United States is 'not a party' to the South China Sea dispute and has 'no right to intervene' in maritime issues between China and the Philippines. He further stated that military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not 'undermine China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea' or be used to 'endorse the illegal claims of the Philippines.' This raises crucial legal questions. Is it illegal for Philippine vessels to operate within Manila's 200-mile exclusive economic zone? Conversely, is it legal for foreign vessels to enter Philippine waters without Manila's clearance and permission, harassing local vessels? Is China's recent declaration of a 10-dash line, an upgrade from the nine-dash line, which suggests island attribution to its existing claims concerning historical rights to the maritime area of the South China Sea, legal under international law? Furthermore, is it legal for China to repeatedly block, use military-grade lasers against BRP Malapascua in 2023, and harass Philippine vessels on humanitarian missions within Manila's sovereign territory? As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982 and its ratification in 1996, China is bound by the treaty's rules governing the oceans and seas. UNCLOS establishes rules for states' rights and duties in the ocean, defining the geographic jurisdictions of coastal states. China's incremental expansion and assertive territorial claims in the South China Sea over the past 20 years have sparked global concern. This strategic international sea lane (SCS) handles $3.4 trillion worth of trade goods annually, and over 80 percent of crude oil destined for Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea transits this area. The United States has upheld international law in the SCS through routine operations by US Navy/Coast Guard ships and US Navy/Air Force aircraft, conducting Freedom of Navigation operations. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz recently met at the White House to reaffirm the longstanding alliance between Manila and Washington. This meeting underscores the hope that security engagements between the Philippines and the United States will continue to be guaranteed
SOUTH CHINA SEA PHILIPPINES UNITED STATES ALLIANCE CHINA UNCLOS INTERNATIONAL LAW TERRITORIAL DISPUTES
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