US hit for backing Manila in dispute

The Foreign Ministry said yesterday it firmly opposed a US statement that it described as attacking Beijing's maritime rights in the South China Sea and that Washington was "blatantly" supporting the Philippines' violation of China's sovereignty.

That came as Manila summoned Beijing's envoy after China's coast guard blocked and water cannoned Philippine vessels, President Ferdinand Marcos said.

The incident happened Saturday as the Philippine coast guard escorted charter boats carrying food, water, fuel and other supplies for military personnel stationed at Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, ignoring a 2016 international court ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

The Philippines has accused China's coast guard of breaking international law in blocking and firing water cannon at the resupply mission, which prevented a charter boat reaching the shoal. Another charter boat was successful.

China said it took "necessary controls" against Filipino boats that had "illegally" entered its waters.

"Our secretary of foreign affairs summoned ambassador Huang [Xilian] today and gave him a note verbale, including pictures, video about what happened and we are awaiting their reply," Marcos said. "The position of China, of course, is they say 'this is ours so we are defending it' and we, for our part, are saying 'no, we own it so we are defending it.' So that becomes a gray area that we are discussing."

Washington condemned China's actions, saying they were carried out by the coast guard and "maritime militia" and directly threatened regional peace and stability. Britain, Australia, Canada and the European Union also criticized Beijing.

Second Thomas Shoal is about 200 kilometers from the Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from China's nearest major landmass of Hainan.