Chinese President Xi Jinping during his speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF). // Photo from Chinese Embassy Manila
In response to a recent statement from the United States expressing support for the Philippines in the South China Sea dispute, the Chinese Embassy in Manila has strongly condemned what it calls a “sinister attempt” by the United States to endorse the Philippines’ alleged “acts of infringement and provocation.”
The Chinese Embassy declared that such efforts are “doomed to fail.”
The U.S. state department issued the statement in question on Monday, following two collisions between Chinese ships and Filipino boats during a routine resupply mission in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The statement, shared by the U.S. Embassy in Manila, criticized the China Coast Guard for “dangerous maneuvers” that allegedly caused the collisions and accused them of interfering in legitimate Philippine military operations on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, which Beijing refers to as Ren’ai Jiao.
The Chinese Embassy responded by stating that the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines had made “baseless attacks” against China’s legitimate law enforcement activities and expressed its disapproval of the U.S.’s involvement in the matter.
The Chinese Embassy Manila has recently released a statement in response to the statement made by the United States supporting the Philippines and its armed forces.
It labeled the U.S. statement as an attempt to endorse Philippine actions in the region, describing it as “sinister” and rejecting it outright.
The Chinese Embassy Manila has recently released a statement in response to the statement made by the United States supporting the Philippines and its armed forces.
In a press briefing held in Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry emphasized that the United States has no right to interfere in the maritime conflict between China and the Philippines since it is not a party to the South China Sea issue.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Mao Ning, pointed out that the U.S.’s promise to defend the Philippines must not harm China’s sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea or encourage the Philippines’ alleged illegal claims.
Tensions between Washington and Beijing have been escalating, with China accusing the U.S. government of using the Philippines to advance its interests in the South China Sea and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
