“Cease provocative and dangerous behavior in the South China Sea,” US informs China

In a formal statement, the State Department stated that the United States had urged China to cease its provocative and risky behavior in the South China Sea and added that it continued to closely observe and monitor these engagements.

This declaration followed the Philippines’ Friday accusation of “aggressive tactics” by the Chinese coast guard in response to an incident that occurred during a patrol by the Philippine coast guard near the Philippines-held Second Thomas Shoal, a flashpoint for previous conflicts located 105 nautical miles (195 km) off its coast, according to Reuters.

In February, the Philippines claimed that a Chinese ship had fired a laser with a military-grade beam at one of its resupply ships.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning claimed that Philippine ships had entered Chinese seas and performed intentional provocative actions.

“On April 23, two Philippine Coast Guard vessels trespassed into Chinese territorial waters and entered the Ren’ai Reef. One of them intentionally provoked others by encroaching on a Chinese Coast Guard vessel, Ning said, according to ANI.

The Chinese Coast Guard vessel protected China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order in line with the law by making prompt maneuvers to avoid a collision with the dangerously approaching Philippine vessel. The Chinese side’s maneuvers were expert and tactful, he continued.

According to the State Department, the US supports the Philippines against People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard actions that continue to restrict freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

The PRC intimidates and harasses Philippine vessels when they conduct routine patrols inside their exclusive economic zone, as seen by images and video that have lately been disseminated in the media, according to the state department.

“The United States stands with our Philippine allies in upholding the rules-based international maritime order and reaffirms that an armed attack in the Pacific, which includes the South China Sea, on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the Coast Guard, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,”