Tensions between the 2 international locations have risen this 12 months, with China trying to disrupt Filipino ship resupply missions.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Manila to “act with caution” over the hotly-contested South China Sea as his Philippines counterpart Enrique Manalo famous the necessity for dialogue between the 2 international locations.
Tension between Beijing and Manila over the waterway has risen in current months, significantly within the Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal the place Manila has accused the Chinese Coast Guard of harmful actions in opposition to Filipino boats throughout common resupply missions to sailors on the Sierra Madre, which was grounded there in 1999.
Manila has lodged dozens of diplomatic protests over China’s behaviour and earlier this month, summoned the Chinese ambassador after a collision between Chinese and Filipino vessels.
Wang and Manalo spoke by telephone on Wednesday with China’s Foreign Ministry releasing a five-paragraph readout of the discussions – noting that Manalo had talked about Manila’s views on Second Thomas Shoal – however alleged that any spike in tensions was Manila’s fault.
“The root cause is that the Philippines has changed its policy stance so far, reneged on its commitments, continued to provoke and cause trouble at sea, and undermined China’s legitimate and legitimate rights,” the assertion mentioned. “China-Philippines relations are at a crossroads. Faced with the choice of where to go, the Philippines must act with caution.”
Second Thomas Shoal lies about 195km (121 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and greater than 1,000km (621 miles) from China’s southern Hainan island.
Beijing seized Scarborough Shoal from Manila after a months-long standoff in 2012. The shoal lies about 220km (137 miles) off the coast of the Philippines and falls inside its unique financial zone (EEZ), in accordance with worldwide maritime regulation.
In a short assertion, Manalo described the decision with Wang as a “frank and candid exchange”.
“We ended our call with a clearer understanding of our respective positions on a number of issues,” he mentioned within the assertion. “We both noted the importance of dialogue in addressing these issues.”
China claims nearly your complete South China Sea below its so-called nine-dash line.
After the Scarborough Shoal incident, Manila took its case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The courtroom dominated in 2016 that China’s claims had no authorized foundation however Beijing has ignored the ruling, doubling down on its declare by constructing synthetic islands, establishing army installations and deploying its coast guard, maritime militia and business fishing fleet to the waters.
Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam additionally declare elements of the ocean and the latter two have additionally reported incidents with Chinese vessels.
Since Ferdinand Marcos Jr turned the Philippines’s president in 2022, the nation has revived its as soon as shut relationship with the United States, increasing a defence pact giving Washington entry to extra of its army bases.
In the decision, Wang mentioned Beijing was dedicated to dialogue but additionally issued a warning.
“If the Philippines misjudges the situation, insists on going its own way, or even colludes with malicious external forces to continue causing trouble and chaos, China will definitely safeguard its rights in accordance with the law and respond resolutely,” he mentioned within the assertion.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/21/china-urges-philippines-to-act-with-caution-amid-south-china-sea-dispute?traffic_source=rss
