China flouted international law by blocking Filipino vessels: US

ISTANBUL

In a Tuesday maritime standoff with the Philippines, China flouted international law, risking the safety of everyone on board the Filipino ships, the Pentagon said.

“Dangerous maneuvers by PRC (Chinese) ships near Second Thomas Shoal caused collisions with lawfully operating Philippine vessels, injured Filipino crew members, jeopardized the safety of all on board, and showed disregard for international law,” Defense Department spokesman Maj. Patrick Ryder said on X.

Ryder also expressed US solidarity with its ally the Philippines.

China’s Coast Guard on Tuesday blocked Filipino supply missions to its grounded warship the BRP Sierra Madre in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, causing a collision.

The two sides filed diplomatic protests while Manila reiterated its claims over the shoal as part of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The maritime neighbors have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal – also known as the Ayungin Shoal, Bai Co May, and Ren'ai Jiao – which is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims vast maritime territory in the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line, which in 2016 The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said has no legal basis under international law.

China says the ruling is not valid and has been in negotiations with ASEAN since 2002 for a code of conduct for the disputed sea.

The shoal “can neither be the subject of a sovereignty claim nor is it capable of appropriation under international law,” said Manila.

In the wider Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines is the oldest ally of the US, which also condemned China over “provocative actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations.”

Washington extended support to Manila, saying the US “reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea.”

"The Ren’ai Jiao issue is a matter between China and the Philippines. The US or any third party has no right to intervene or use the issue to sow discord," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing.

Mao said the US State Department "statement on the South China Sea is a clear misrepresentation of facts."

"The responsibility for the recent incident in waters of Ren’ai Jiao lies completely with the Philippines," she added.

Speaking to reporters in Australia, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he “does not” think China’s recent actions would be a reason to invoke the defense pact with the US.

He added, however: “We continue to view with great alarm this continuing dangerous maneuvers and dangerous actions that are being done against our seamen, our coast guard. And this time, they damaged cargo ship and caused some injury to some of our seamen and I think that we cannot view this any way but in the most serious way.”