Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr left Manila yesterday for a visit to the US as he seeks to bolster ties with Washington amid growing tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.
Before leaving, Marcos said that his meeting with US President Joe Biden today would be essential in advancing his country’s national interest and reinforcing the “very important alliance” between Manila and Washington.
Marcos said he would convey to Biden his determination to forge “an even stronger relationship” with the US to “address the concerns of our times,” including issues related to the economy.
Photo: AFP
“During this visit, we will reaffirm our commitment to fostering our long-standing alliance as an instrument of peace and as catalyst of development in the Asia-Pacific region, and for that matter for the rest of the world,” Marcos said.
Biden has been working to bolster relations with Asian allies as the US-Chinese relationship remains in a historically deep chill, and the Philippines’ proximity to key sea lanes and Taiwan gives it particular strategic importance.
Ahead of Marcos’ visit, US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller slammed China over the near collision of one of its coast guard ships with a Philippine patrol boat a week ago, saying it was a reminder of Beijing’s “harassment and intimidation” in the contested waterway.
“We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,” he said in a statement, adding that any attack on Philippine armed forces would trigger a US response.
The near-miss on Sunday last week off the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) was the latest in a long string of maritime incidents between China and the Philippines.
Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, ignoring an international ruling that the assertion has no legal basis. States staking claims to various Spratly islands are: Taiwan, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei.
Agence France-Presse was one of several media outlets that witnessed the incident after journalists were invited to join two Philippine Coast Guard boats on a six-day patrol of the waters, visiting a dozen islands and reefs.
The Philippine vessels approached Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly archipelago.
As one boat, the BRP Malapascua, neared the shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel more than twice its size sailed into its path.
The Malapascua’s commanding officer said the Chinese ship came within 45m of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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