Austin, Teodoro meet in Indonesia; US reiterates 'ironclad' commitment to PH

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III met with his Philippine counterpart, Gilbert Teodoro Jr., in Indonesia on Wednesday (US time) where the American official renewed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to defend the Philippines amid China's actions in the West Philippine Sea.

"Secretary Austin reiterated President Biden's message that the US defense commitment to the Philippines is ironclad, and emphasized that the United States stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its Exclusive Economic Zone," the US State Department said in a statement on Thursday. 

The two officials met in Jakarta on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus, days after China Coast Guard (CCG) fired water cannon at a Philippine boat carrying provisions to Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

The US State Department said Austin and Teodoro, in their meeting, "denounced the recent harassment by vessels from the People's Republic of China (PRC) towards Philippine Coast Guard and resupply vessels conducting lawful resupply operations around Second Thomas Shoal," referring to the international name for Ayungin Shoal.

The two officials also denounced the "dangerous operational PRC maneuvers against US aircraft and ships lawfully operating in the South China Sea," the US State Department said.

The Philippine government, through its embassy in Beijing, has demarched the Chinese foreign ministry and protested the latest water cannon incident, which took place on November 11.

Ayungin Shoal is in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

CCG spokesperson Gan Yu has defended their actions, saying the Philippine vessels had "trespassed" into the waters near Ayungin Shoal "without the permission of Chinese government."

Yu claimed the Philippines' act infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and breaks its own promise.

Austin and Teodoro, meanwhile, called on China to abide by its obligations under international law as they emphasized that the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling on a case filed by the Philippines is "final and binding."

On July 12, 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) released a 501-page ruling declaring China's historical claim over nearly the entire South China Sea as illegal under UNCLOS, which is considered the constitution of the seas.

The arbitral tribunal, however, has no enforcement power.

China has repeatedly said that it does not recognize the arbitral award.  

EDCA

During their Jakarta meeting, Austin and Teodoro also vowed to accelerate the implementation of projects under the Philippine-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

"The Secretaries highlighted the recent progress the two countries have made to modernize the alliance, enhance interoperability, and address new and emerging challenges," the US State Department said. 

"On this note, they welcomed progress in implementing the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), including the recent completion of a $24 million upgrade to the runway at Basa Airbase, and pledged to further accelerate EDCA implementation," it added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News