ISTANBUL

China on Wednesday accused the US of “deliberately destabilizing” the South China Sea after Washington voiced support for the Philippines over a recent maritime confrontation.

The US State Department said Monday it stood with its ally “as they confront China’s dangerous actions, which undermine regional stability,” condemning what it described as Beijing’s ramming and water-cannoning of a Philippine vessel.

Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Washington “reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea.”

Responding to the remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said “facts and evidence” showed it was “the Philippines who took infringement and provocative activities.”

Lin accused Washington of “vilifying and accusing China of the legitimate and lawful measures China took to defend its sovereignty,” adding that the US was “attempting to threaten with the US-Philippines mutual defense treaty.”

“Such moves once again expose the US' ill intention of deliberately stoking confrontation and destabilizing the South China Sea and serve as yet another example that the US is the biggest source of risks undermining regional stability,” he said.

China and the Philippines on Sunday accused each other of provocation after another maritime clash in the disputed South China Sea.

Beijing said its coast guard expelled two Philippine vessels that illegally intruded into waters near Tiexian Jiao, part of what China calls the Nansha Qundao (Spratly Islands).

Manila rejected that claim, calling China’s action “another act of aggression.”

According to the Philippine Coast Guard, a Chinese vessel fired a water cannon and rammed a Philippine ship anchored off Pag-asa Island to assist local fishermen. The incident caused minor damage but no injuries.

China and the Philippines have overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea, which is one of the world's busiest trade routes, with trillions of dollars in annual trade.