China blasts Blinken's 'thinly veiled threat' to invoke PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippine on Wednesday voiced its opposition to the "thinly veiled threat" of United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken to invoke the US' Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines amid tension in the South China Sea.

"We firmly oppose the groundless accusations made by Secretary Blinken about China’s legitimate and lawful actions in the South China Sea and his thinly veiled threat to invoke the so-called MDT obligations," said Chinese embassy Counselor Ji Lingpeng in a statement.

Ji described the PH-US MDT as "a vestige of the Cold War."

"The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," Ji said.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the US Embassy regarding Ji's statement, but it has yet to respond as of posting time.

During his official visit to Manila, Blinken pointed out the importance of further "accelerating" the US' decades-old alliance with the Philippines in the face of regional and global challenges.

"These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy. But they're also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world. It's why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the MDT," Blinken said Tuesday.

Blinken also expressed concern on the recent incidents in the South China Sea that, according to him, threaten a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The Chinese Embassy, in response, urged the US not to instigate trouble or take sides because it "has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines."

"The recent tension in the South China Sea would not have occurred without the US egging on the Philippines. Indeed, the US admits to banding together a small number of countries to offer verbal support to the Philippines," it added.

On March 5, four Philippine Navy personnel were injured after two China coast guard vessels used water cannons against a Philippine boat conducting a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

Following this, the US and the Philippines engaged in talks about China's "provocative actions."

Tensions between China and the Philippines increased recently as the two countries traded accusations such as alleged intrusion, shadowing, blocking, and performing dangerous maneuvers.

China claims most of the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Parts of the waters within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone have been renamed as West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected. 

In January, the Philippines and China sought to de-escalate tensions in the SCS.

Both sides agreed to improve an existing maritime communication mechanism to prevent incidents and miscalculations in the disputed waters. —KBK, GMA Integrated News