20-12-2023 (MANILA) Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro rebuked China on Wednesday, dismissing its accusations of his country provoking tension and stirring trouble in the South China Sea. Teodoro stated that only Beijing believed in the validity of such claims, emphasizing that no country worldwide supported China’s unequivocal assertion over the entire South China Sea.
China asserts nearly the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for over US$3 trillion in annual commercial shipping. This claim overlaps with portions contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, in 2016, ruled that China’s claims lacked a legal basis, a decision supported by the United States but rejected by Beijing.
Teodoro’s comments come amid escalating tensions between the two nations, triggered by recent collisions in the contested waters. Over a week ago, both Manila and Beijing exchanged accusations over a collision involving their vessels, with China contending that the incidents were entirely caused by the Philippines.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed the need for a “paradigm shift” in addressing the South China Sea issue. He voiced dissatisfaction with the current diplomatic efforts, stating they were heading “in a poor direction.” Tensions between the Philippines and China have intensified under Marcos’ leadership, who criticized China’s aggressive behavior while pursuing closer ties with the United States, the Philippines’ treaty ally.
Marcos affirmed that the Philippines would engage in dialogue with its partners in the Indo-Pacific region to formulate a joint position on their responsibilities in the West Philippine Sea, the term used by the Philippines for the part of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone.
China’s expansive territorial claims and its actions in the South China Sea have been a longstanding source of tension in the region.
