US commitment to PH defense is ‘ironclad’ – Biden

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US PRESIDENT Joe Biden yesterday said America’s commitment to Philippines’ defense remains “iron-clad,” and accused China of acting “dangerously and unlawfully” in the South China Sea.

Biden spoke at a press conference at the White House days after Chinese vessels rammed Philippine ships on a resupply mission to the Philippine-held Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

“Just this past week, the PRC vessels acted dangerously and unlawfully as our Philippine friends conducted a routine resupply mission within their own, their own exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea,” he said.

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“I want to be clear, I want to be very clear: The United States’ defense commitment to the Philippines is ironclad. The United States’ defense agreement with the Philippines is ironclad. Any attack on the Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines,” he added.

Last Sunday, Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels made dangerous maneuvers against two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and two military-contracted boats delivering supplies to Filipino troops at Ayungin Shoal. One of the wooden supply boats, Unaiza Mae 2, and PCG vessel BRP Cabra were hit in the process by a China Coast Guard vessel and a China militia vessel during the maneuvers, causing damage to the Philippine vessels.

Biden and visiting Australian Prime Minister Albanese, in a joint statement, also touched on the October 22 incident collision near Ayungin Shoal, also known as the Second Thomas Shoal.

“We emphasize the importance of all States being able to exercise rights and freedoms in a manner consistent with international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight. We strongly oppose destabilizing actions in the South China Sea, such as unsafe encounters at sea and in the air, the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, including to interfere with routine Philippines maritime operations around Second Thomas Shoal, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation,” the statement said.

Referring to the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the case filed by the Philippines against China’s expansive claim in the South China Sea, the two leaders also said, “We also recognize that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award is final and legally binding on the parties in that proceeding, and we are concerned about China’s excessive maritime claims that are inconsistent with international law, as well as unilateral actions that may raise tensions and increase the risk of miscalculation in the region. We resolve to work with partners to support regional maritime security and uphold international law.”

China has refused to recognize the ruling that favored the Philippines and rejected China’s claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

Other US officials have stressed the US will honor the US commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty, which was signed in 1951, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin who was in the Philippines earlier this year.

‘NO RIGHT’

In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said the US does not have the right to get involved in problems between China and the Philippines.

“The US is not party to the South China Sea issue, it has no right to get involved in a problem between China and the Philippines,” said ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in addressing a question on the US saying it will defend the Philippines.

“The US promise of defending the Philippines must not hurt China’s sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea, and it also must not enable and encourage the illegal claims of the Philippines,” Mao said.

The US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan was in the country Wednesday, and the US Embassy said the visit is a symbol of enhanced alliance and partnership between Washington and Manila amid increasing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

The USS Ronald Reagan, which carried out flight operations off eastern Luzon, has a full complement of aircraft, ranging from FA18 multi-role fighter jets to anti-submarine warfare aircraft and helicopters as well as sophisticated weapon systems.

The only forward-deployed US Navy aircraft carrier also conducted flight operations in the South China Sea before proceeding to Manila.

“The visit of the USS Reagan is a symbol of the partnership and the alliance that we have with the Philippines,” US Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay said.

“We have an ironclad alliance with the Philippines and we are very glad we get to have these visits because they really show the strength of our relationship,’ he added.

Gangopadhyay said the USS Ronald Reagan’s visit had been planned weeks prior to the Ayungin Shoal incident.

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“I would just say that these visits are part of our alliance. They happen all the time at regular intervals,” the embassy spokesperson said.

After its port visit in Manila, the aircraft carrier will continue its missions to patrol the waters in the Indo-Pacific region.

NAVY DRILLS

The Philippine Navy launched naval drills off Zambales fronting the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Wednesday, featuring two of its most capable ships and eight other surface assets.

China gained control of the shoal, about 124 nautical miles from Zambales, in 2012 after a standoff between Chinese and Philippine vessels. China has since prevented Filipino fishermen from entering the shoal.

Last month, personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) cut a floating barrier installed by China at the entrance of the shoal. The PCG executed the special operation on the order of President Marcos Jr.

The Navy drills are under the five-day “Exercise Pagbubuklod 2023” which opened on Monday. The first two days were spent on table top exercises and subject matter exchanges.

On Wednesday, the three-day sea phase exercises commenced at the vicinity of Capones Island in San Antonio, Zambales, said the Philippine Fleet (PF) which in charge of all surface and air assets of the Navy.

Among the ships taking part in the sea phase exercise are frigates BRP Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna, the two most advanced warships in the inventory of the Navy.

The other ships involved in the drills were landing dock BRP Tarlac, fast attack interdiction craft BRP Lolinato To-ong and BRP Gener Tinangag, patrol vessels BRP Valentin Diaz and BRP Ladislao Diwa, three missile-capable multi-purpose attack craft (MPACs), and an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone.

Fleet spokesman Lt. Giovanni Badidles said the drills are meant to “raise the level of awareness and optimize the proper utilization of its (Fleet) modernizing platforms and systems to address traditional and non-traditional challenges,” and enhancing the capacity of Navy personnel “in manning and handling such a higher level of equipment in the better performance of their duties to the maritime nation.”

Badidles said the drills have nothing to do with China or with the recent events in the West Philippine Sea.

“This is more about training, a unilateral training to test our newly-acquired capabilities like our capability on information and reconnaissance using our drones,” he said.

CASE

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said a case against China for damage of the marine environment in the WPS may be filed early next year, adding that the Philippines has more than enough evidence to bring the issue to an international tribunal.

Remulla made the statement after he met with legal experts led by former Solicitor General and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, lawyer Antonio Oposa and PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela at the DOJ to discuss evidence, issues and preparation for the filing of the case.

“We will work on this. Hopefully, by January or February next year, or at the latest, March, we will be able to launch the case,” he said in Filipino.

“We have evidence. It’s just a matter of organizing the evidence and showing it to the proper tribunal. That’s the most important, that we file a case before an international tribunal about the environmental damage caused by China,” he also said.

He said the DOJ is also coordinating with the PCG, cinematographers and scientists to show the diversity and the damage wrought by the Chinese in the WPS over the years.

Last month, Solicitor General Medardo Guevarra said his office is reviewing all incidents in the WPS since the 2016 arbitral award to collect evidence to support a possible case against Beijing.

“The OSG will gather information on all incidents at the WPS since the first arbitral award in 2016, including the most recent ones involving reef destruction and floating barriers. We need solid evidence that will stand up in any tribunal,” Guevarra said.

Guevarra said his office will study all possible legal options before making a recommendation to Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Aside from the damage to the marine ecosystem, Remulla said the government will also include in the case being prepared the construction of “artificial islands” by China in the WPS that also caused degradation to the environment.

China has built artificial islands at Cuarteron Reef, Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef, Hughes Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson Reef, and Mischief Reef. — Reuters, Victor Reyes and Ashzel Hachero

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