US President Joe Biden has issued a stern warning to China, stating that the United States will stand in defense of the Philippines in the event of any aggression in the disputed South China Sea.
This declaration follows a series of maritime incidents involving Filipino and Chinese vessels in the contested waters.
President Biden emphasized the unwavering nature of America's commitment to the Philippines, describing it as "ironclad."
Manila has been disputing China's territorial claims in the region, taking actions such as removing floating barriers and allowing media coverage to highlight what they view as hazardous maneuvers by Beijing in the area.
President Biden's statement, delivered on a Wednesday, is his most forceful yet since tensions escalated between Beijing and Manila in recent months. He reaffirmed the enduring strength of the US-Philippines defense agreement, a pact established in 1951.
This Mutual Defense Treaty binds the United States and the Philippines to mutual protection in the event of an armed attack.
The President made it clear that any aggression against Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces would trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines. He made this pronouncement during a speech at the White House while hosting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
In response, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, asserted that the United States had no right to meddle in the issues between China and the Philippines.
She also stressed that if the US chose to defend the Philippines, it should avoid actions that would impinge on China's sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea.
In a separate development, the Philippines reported that "dangerous maneuvers" by China had resulted in a collision between a Chinese coast guard ship and a Filipino supply boat within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
There was also an incident where a Chinese militia boat reportedly made contact with a Philippine coast guard vessel. These Filipino boats were en route to a decommissioned navy warship, strategically placed at the Second Thomas Shoal to reinforce the Philippines' territorial claims.
The Philippines' Defense Minister, Gilberto Teodoro Jr., accused China of intentionally striking Philippine vessels and accused them of distorting the facts to suit their agenda. President Biden echoed these sentiments, stating that the actions of the Chinese vessels were both reckless and illegal.
The Philippines holds a significant strategic position as an ally of the United States, given its proximity to potential flashpoints in the Pacific, namely the South China Sea and Taiwan.
Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in June 2022 and renewed the Philippines' alliance with the United States, Filipino authorities have displayed a more assertive stance in contesting China's actions in the South China Sea.
This marks a departure from the pro-China stance of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who faced criticism for what was perceived as inadequate measures to counter China's assertiveness in the region.
Duterte had refrained from invoking the Philippines' legal victory against China in an international tribunal, which had declared Beijing's extensive claims over the South China Sea to be without a sound basis.
