U.S. Sends China Stern Message Over 'Dangerous' Actions

In a speech on Friday, the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines issued a stern warning to China, stating that a robust coalition of allied nations stands ready to defend the Philippines' rights in the South China Sea. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson called on China to "cease escalatory and dangerous harassment" of Philippine vessels.

Ambassador Carlson emphasized that the United States, alongside the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Canada, and France, has engaged in a series of unprecedented multilateral maritime cooperative activities. This collaboration is intended to showcase a united front. "Sailing together sends a clear message: that we are all committed to upholding freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law," she stated.

She urged China to halt its "escalatory and dangerous harassment" of Philippine vessels that are lawfully operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. Carlson also demanded that China stop infringing on the Philippines' rights to explore, conserve, and manage its natural resources and to cease interfering with the freedom of navigation and overflight of all states lawfully operating in the region.

Her remarks come nearly a month after a violent incident in which armed Chinese coast guard personnel damaged two Philippine military supply vessels and injured several individuals. This clash, which occurred on June 17 at Second Thomas Shoal—a disputed area in the South China Sea—escalated tensions in the region.

The day before Carlson's speech, Ely Ratner, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Indo-Pacific, reaffirmed the United States' commitment to supporting the Philippines as it defends its lawful rights in the South China Sea. Ratner emphasized that Second Thomas Shoal is located on the Philippines' continental shelf and well within its exclusive economic zone, a claim disputed by China, which asserts sovereignty over the territory.

Carlson's speech was delivered on the eighth anniversary of a significant ruling by The Hague, which resolved a dispute brought by the Philippines over China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The ruling favored the Philippines, declaring many of China's claims unlawful. While the Philippines celebrated the decision, China rejected the ruling and refused to participate in the arbitration process.

As the top American diplomat in the Philippines, Carlson remarked that the ruling "stands as a milestone for all who seek a prosperous, inclusive, and secure Indo‑Pacific and who undertake to uphold the rule of law around the world." Her official X (formerly Twitter) account echoed this sentiment, reaffirming the U.S.'s "unwavering support" for the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with international law.

Earlier in the week, two U.S. allies in Asia—Japan and the Philippines—signed a bilateral defense pact to enhance troop access and deployment capabilities in response to China's actions in the East and South China Sea. On Monday, Japan's Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and the Philippines' Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro signed the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), establishing a legal framework for the deployment of military personnel to each other's territory for training exercises and joint operations.

The South China Sea, a region of significant strategic importance, is heavily disputed, with China asserting sovereignty over a vast majority of the waters. This has led to heightened tensions among the countries bordering the sea.

In recognition of the anniversary of The Hague's ruling, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern over China's continued assertion of "territorial sovereignty" over areas that are clearly within the maritime jurisdiction of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. Blinken highlighted that these areas are subject to the freedoms of navigation and overflight as stipulated by international law, underscoring the United States' commitment to upholding these principles.