Philippines’ Marcos sees Chinese actions in South China Sea with ‘great alarm’
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Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr interacting with a koala at the Government House in Melbourne as he arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the 50th Asean-Australia Special Summit.
PHOTO: AFP
MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on March 6 that he sees Chinese actions in the South China Sea with “great alarm”, after recent confrontations between the two countries in the contested waters.
“We continue to view with great alarm this continuing dangerous manoeuvres and dangerous actions that are being done against our seamen, our coast guard,” he said in an official transcript of his remarks to reporters.
The latest incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels took place on March 5 in waters around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, where the countries have contesting maritime claims.
The Philippines said China Coast Guard ships caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them, leaving four Filipino crew members injured.
“I think that we cannot view this any way but in the most serious way,” Mr Marcos said.
“Once again, we will make our objections known and hope that we can continue to communicate to find the way so that such actions are no longer seen,” he said.
Manila summoned a Chinese representative over the incidents on March 5.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on March 5 that Beijing had expressed “strong protests” over the run-in with the Philippine vessels.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from a host of South-east Asian nations and an international ruling that has declared its stance baseless.
Mr Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for a Manila task force on the South China Sea on March 6 accused China of “deliberately stirring up trouble”.
He also said China is “maliciously inciting hype” while reiterating that the Philippines will not be deterred from exercising its maritime rights.
He added that the waterway was wide enough for both countries to peacefully co-exist.
The actions of China’s coast guard were “provocative, illegal” and “unbecoming of a coast guard officer”, Mr Malaya told a press conference. AFP, REUTERS
