PH, US national security advisers discuss China WPS actions

Philippine and United States national security advisers discussed the aggressive actions of Chinese vessels in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the National Security Council said on Tuesday.

According to the NSC, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año spoke with his United States counterpart Jake Sullivan on the phone on Monday and "discussed the recent spate of illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions by agents of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia in the country’s EEZ.”

“Secretary Año expressed his appreciation for the United States’ continued assurances and reaffirmation of its ironclad commitment to the PH-US Alliance,” it added.

Meanwhile, Año and Sullivan looked forward to the upcoming inaugural Japan-Philippines-United States trilateral leaders’ summit in Washington DC next week, according to the NSC.

The White House, for its part, said Sullivan had emphasized the US support for the Philippines following Beijing's maritime militia’s dangerous actions on March 23 where it obstructed a lawful Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. 

Sullivan also underscored the ironclad US alliance commitments to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—to include those of its coast guard—anywhere in the South China Sea.

In the latest water cannon attack by China Coast Guard vessels, three Philippine Navy sailors were injured during a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on March 23.

Following the incident, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the Philippines would execute a “proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable” response.

"Over the succeeding weeks there shall be, implemented by the relevant national government agencies and instrumentalities, a response and countermeasure package that is proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable in the face of the open, unabating, and illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks by agents of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia," Marcos said in a statement.

"We seek no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends but we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield."

Marcos added that he has been in "constant communication" with representatives of allies, partners, and friends in the international community.

"They have offered to help us with what the Philippines requires to protect and secure our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. I have given them our requirements and we have been assured that they will be addressed," he said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Waters within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) were renamed the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, a decision that Beijing has rejected. —with a report from Anna Felicia Bajo/ DVM/ VAL, GMA Integrated News