US envoy on call by China's Xi to prepare for sea row: Threat not coming from us

"The threat is not coming from us."

This was the response of American Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson when asked about Chinese President Xi Jinping's call to China's armed forces to coordinate preparations for military conflicts at sea.

"We're not being aggressive. So if they're preparing for aggression, that's their issue. But that threat is not coming from us," Carlson said in a GMA Integrated News exclusive interview with Pia Arcangel.

The US ambassador added, "We are upholding the international law, the Law of the Sea and the UNCLOS, and working together with like-minded partners in the West Philippine Sea, the East Sea, and other parts around the globe," Carlson said.

Earlier this month, Xi called on the Chinese military to protect their country's maritime rights and interests, and the development of the maritime economy.

It was necessary to build cyberspace defense system and improve the ability to maintain national network security, Xi was quoted by state television as saying when he met a delegation of the People's Liberation Army and Armed Police Force at China's annual parliament meeting.

Xi's call came after China Coast Guard (CCG) ships water cannoned and collided with Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal within the West Philippine Sea. Four Filipino Navy crew members were injured in the water cannon incident.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., for his part, earlier said there was nothing new with Xi's call, adding that he was not surprised with it.

Marcos said the Philippine government would "continue to do what we can to defend our maritime territory in the face of perhaps of a more active attempt by the Chinese to annex some of our territory."

Carlson said the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States has "great value" in deterring conflict in the region by showing that the two countries "are strong together."

The Philippines and America are set to hold the upcoming Balikatan outside the former's territorial waters for the first time since the inception of the annual joint military exercise.

The French Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard will also participate in the Balikatan, which will be conducted towards April and May this year.

Also in April, the Philippine and US air forces will conduct the Cope Thunder joint exercise for the first time in 33 years. — VDV, GMA Integrated News