China urges US to stop supporting Philippines ‘provocations’ – Asia and the Pacific

China and the Philippines recently accused each other of “unsafe and illegal maneuvers” involving each other’s ships in the area around Second Thomas Shoal, a disputed atoll in the busy waterway.

“The United States should stop tolerating and supporting the Philippines’ provocations and nuisances and take concrete measures to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said , Mao Ning.

The Philippines has sent missions to resupply soldiers living aboard a rusty old warship deliberately beached near Manila in 1999 on the atoll to bolster its claims to sovereignty.

At a regular press briefing, Mao added that the Philippines had turned its back on consensus with China, questioning its sovereignty and territorial integrity and insisting on providing construction materials for the warship.

On June 17, a Filipino sailor was injured after what the Southeast Asian country’s military called an “intentional high-speed ramming” by the Chinese coast guard, a claim China disputes, saying the actions were legal.

Campbell made the remarks to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in a phone call Thursday, the U.S. State Department said.

The day before, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Philippine counterpart Eduardo Ano had discussed their shared concerns about China’s “dangerous and escalatory actions”.

The United States reaffirmed its commitment to the security of the Philippines, the White House said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including portions claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.