The Philippines says that it has not asked the United States or any other country to resupply its troops. Filipino troops are trapped on a rusting and beached vessel on the Second Saint Thoams Shoal in the South China Sea. The Filipino embassy in Washington DC states that the United States is only providing ‘visuals’ to his country. This as Manila is accusing the Chinese Coast Guard of ‘aggressive and illegal use of force’ to disrupt a resupply mission last week. The move is part of a long-standing territorial dispute between Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told reporters Manila’s patience was being stretched by China’s actions, but it was hoping for talks to deescalate tensions with Beijing as soon as July, and did not want to invoke the U.S. treaty.
“We would like to be able to supply our soldiers on our own without really bringing in any third party because, as I said, this is our territory, which we’ve made very clear from the very beginning. And so, we have not asked the United States for any assistance whatsoever,” Romualdez said.
He said the U.S. only was providing “visuals” to help view the situation around the ship.
The Philippines said a sailor was severely injured and vessels damaged in the clash last week. China’s Coast Guard personnel carrying knives and spears looted firearms and “deliberately punctured” Philippine boats involved in the mission, the Philippines military said.
China disputed the Philippine account, saying necessary measures taken were lawful, professional and beyond reproach.
Romualdez said the Philippines had sought a meeting with Chinese officials to lower tensions, not resolve territorial claims, and hoped it would occur “maybe early next month.”
Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told a Senate hearing in Manila on Tuesday the Philippines is committed to working with China to develop “confidence building measures” to manage tensions in the South China Sea.Philippines media quoted Manalo as saying that the countries held a working group meeting last week in preparation for a potential Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting in July.
Romualdez believes that tensions will soon come to an end over the issue. The Filipino diplomat says that his country is unable to resupply troops which could lead to ‘killing of soldiers’ due to starvation, which could lead to an escalation. Romualdez thinks that both his country and China do not want an escalation and the current crisis will come to an end soon.
