MANILA, August 22 ------ The US National Security Advisor condemned Wednesday the People’s Republic of China’s “deliberate collision with two Philippine Coast Guard vessels operating lawfully near Sabina Shoal in the Philippines ‘exclusive economic zone on August 19.”
In a statement, NSA Jake Sullivan said he spoke with Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año to discuss the recent announcement of $500 million in U.S. military aid, which will help modernize the Philippine Armed Forces and Coast Guard. “Mr. Sullivan reiterated the ironclad U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—to include those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea,” a White House statement said.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea earlier said Philippine Coast Guard patrol ships BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño "encountered unlawful and aggressive maneuvers from Chinese Coast Guard vessels while en route to Patag and Lawak Islands in the West Philippine Sea." NTF-WPS said that the Chinese ships' maneuvers "resulted in collisions, causing structural damage to both PCG vessels."
The national task force said that BRP Cape Engaño was damaged first after CCGV-3104's "aggressive maneuvers" led to a collision with the starboard beam of the Philippine patrol ship, leaving a five-inch hole on the deck. It said another Chinese ship, CCGV 21551, rammed BRP Bagacay twice, causing "minor structural damage. For its part, Beijing's state media said "Philippine vessel 4410 deliberately collided with China's 21551 vessel" in the South China Sea "despite multiple warnings from the Chinese side."
Año said he and Sullivan also discussed the People’s Liberation Army Air Force plane use of flares on the flight path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft doing routine maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc. “NSA Año underscored the Philippines’ unassailable rights in the West Philippine Sea based on international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award. He also thanked the United States government for the unremitting support and iron clad commitment to the Philippines-United States alliance,” an NSC statement read.
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier said the Philippines’ filing of a diplomatic protest against China’s actions is the "first in a series of actions" that the country will take following the Chinese air force's hostility in the airspace. Manila has lodged 173 diplomatic protests with Beijing in the last two years, and hundreds of others before that. China has refused to acknowledge a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its nine-dash-line claim over a large part of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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