US State Department has criticized China for escalating the situation in the South China Sea, Fox News informed.
The State Department said that the Asian Country has directly threatened the peace and stability in the region, while the US has once again claimed their support for the Philippines.
The Coast Guard of China has used water cannons against resupply ships from the Philippines that were headed towards Second Thomas Shoal located in the South China Sea. The State Department argued that this action undermined the overall security in the region.
The Spokesman for the State Department, Ned Price issued a statement saying that the US will stand with their ally, the Philippines amid an escalation of the regional tensions that directly threaten the peace and stability in the South China Sea, which is guaranteed according to the international law.
Price referred to a move according to which a decision was made that rejected the claims of China of the Second Thomas Shoal which was determined to be part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
Price argued that the Philippines and China are legally bound to comply with the decision and respect the treaty obligations, adding that China must not be interfering with the activities the Philippines perform in the Second Thomas Shoal.
The Spokesman also said that if there is an armed attack on the public vessels of the Philippines in the South China Sea, will invoke the mutual commitments of the US according to the Article IV of the US and Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty from 1951.
Price also said that US is strongly convinced that China’s activities in the South China Sea undermine the peace and security in the whole region.
This Biden administration statement arrives just several days after US President Joe Biden was part of a virtual meeting with the President of China Xi Jinping.
Be the first to comment