The United States said on Monday that they were on the side of the Philippines, applying the 1951 reciprocal defense condition, amid increased tensions with China in the disputed southern Chinese sea.
Earlier, China’s Foreign Ministry called Manila not to challenge Beijing’s efforts to “Conservation of its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests” Following Sunday’s incident in the islands of Spratli, in which the Philippines reported that China had developed water cannons and embedded a Philippine ship.
US Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Tommy Pigotcondemned the “embolism and aquarium” of a Philippine ship from China and said Washington is standing by her ally “As it addresses the dangerous actions of China that undermine regional stability.”
In his statement, Pigot confirmed that Article IV of the 1951 US-Philiphany Treaty “It is extended to armed attacks on the Armed Forces, Public Vessels or Aircraft by the Philippines – including those of their coastguard – anywhere in the South Chinese Sea.”
The two nations have repeatedly been opposed to the southern Chinese Sea in recent years, a strategic trade route facilitating annual trade through ships worth more than $ 3 trillion and most of which is claimed by China, according to Reuters.
Tensions have recently escalated and the Lynn Jiana spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, he said in regular information to reporters that the Philippines should stop immediately “Violations and challenges”.
The Philippine Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “China’s extensive territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea and its increasingly oppressive actions to promote them to the detriment of its neighbors continue to undermine regional stability and contradict its previous commitments.”
Last year, during the previous Biden government, two senior Republican US senators have requested a list of options to be developed by the Pentagon and the Foreign Ministry to support the Philippines against Beijing in the southern Chinese sea. Commitments.
Source :Skai
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