China says US has ‘no right’ to interfere in maritime issues with the Philippines
BEIJING/MANILA: China said on Tuesday the United States had “no right” to interfere in the South China Sea, after Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington stood by its commitments to defend the Philippines against armed attack in the disputed waterway.
“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,” Blinken said at a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo. “That’s why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the mutual defence treaty.”
Blinken’s trip comes ahead of a trilateral meeting in Washington next month between US President Joe Biden, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida.
Announcing the summit with the Asia-Pacific allies, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would push a “shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
China hits back
“The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in maritime issues that are between China and the Philippines,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference in Beijing.
Blinken is in the Philippine capital Manila — his second visit since President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 — as part of a brief Asia tour to reinforce US support for regional allies against China.
“Military cooperation between the US and the Philippines must not harm China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and still less be used to provide a platform for the Philippines’ illegal claims,” Lin said in a response to a question on Blinken’s earlier comments.
“China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he added.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea — a crucial route for global trade — brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that has declared its stance baseless.