Amidst escalating aggression from the Chinese regime in the South China Sea, the Philippines has warned that it may consider expelling the Chinese ambassador. Furthermore, the United States, Japan, and the Philippines have expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in order to sustain peace and stability in the region.
On December 11, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs summoned China’s ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, to issue a formal diplomatic protest over the actions of the Chinese coast guard against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea for two consecutive days. It was stated that the Philippines is contemplating declaring Mr. Huang persona non grata and expelling him from the country.
Incidents on December 9 and 10 involved Chinese coast guard vessels intercepting, attacking, and ramming Philippine supply vessels in disputed waters in the South China Sea, with the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Romeo Brawner Jr., on board one of the rammed vessels. The U.S. Department of State condemned China’s actions against the Philippine ships, claiming these acts jeopardized the safety of the Filipino crew and called on China to abide by the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling, which invalidated Beijing’s extensive sovereignty claims in the South China Sea.
It was confirmed that the events took place near Scarborough Shoal, a strategic location amongst crucial international waterways, which is part of the Spratly Islands. Both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty over this area. The South China Sea is also a vital maritime trade route worth over $3 trillion annually, which is partly claimed by numerous countries including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
In response to the increasing aggression from the Chinese regime, the Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, warned that conflict in the South China Sea could escalate and ignite at any time. He called for the international community to launch joint patrols in the South China Sea as a display of multilateral collaboration to counter China’s provocations.
In discussions between the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his Filipino counterpart, strategies were considered to enhance military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, such as stepping up coordinated operations, information sharing, and training exercises. Furthermore, a trilateral call was held between the national security advisers of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines to reaffirm their commitment to preserve freedom of navigation and international law in the South China Sea, as well as to emphasize the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. This was supported by the White House, which reaffirmed the United States’ commitments to Japan and the Philippines. Lastly, the U.S. Defense Secretary expressed support for the Philippines in defending its sovereign rights in accordance with international law.