BEIJING - China said the United States must refrain from “stirring up trouble” or taking sides on the South China Sea issue, after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a security deal with Manila extended to attacks on the Philippine coast guard.

Mr Blinken called the US security commitment with the Philippines “ironclad”, and said China’s actions in the South China Sea had triggered a wider international reaction.

The Chinese embassy in the Philippines said in a statement on March 20 that Chinese activities in the South China Sea were “legitimate and lawful”, adding that Mr Blinken’s remarks “ignore the facts, baselessly accuse China”.

It also said Mr Blinken has again “threatened China with the so-called US-Philippine Mutual Defence Treaty obligations”, which China firmly opposed.

The Philippines and US are bound by a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty, by which they must support each other if there is an attack.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in 2023 pushed Washington to make clear the extent of that security commitment.

On March 19, Mr Blinken said the deal extended to armed attacks on the Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft, and its coast guard.

China has said that the US threatens peace and stability in the South China Sea, is not a party to issues there, and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between it and the Philippines.

“The US keeps saying that it wants to safeguard freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, but in fact, it wants to guarantee the freedom of navigation of US warships,” the Chinese embassy said.

“The fact that US warships and planes travelled thousands of miles to China’s doorstep to flaunt their might and provoke trouble is an out-and-out hegemonic activity.” REUTERS