Blinken warns China against armed attacks on the Philippines
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken warned China on Tuesday that an “armed” attack on Philippine ships in the South China Sea would trigger a mutual self-defense pact between Washington and Manila, reflecting rising tensions in the region that threaten to drag United States into armed conflict with Beijing.
But in a sign that the United States hopes to de-escalate the situation, Mr. Blinken gave no indication during a visit to Manila that recent Chinese provocations — including ramming Philippine ships and shelling them with water cannons — have crossed the threshold of the crisis has passed. “armed” attacks.
At a press conference alongside his Philippine counterpart, he was asked how to deter what some analysts call China’s “gray zone coercive tactics,” which Philippine officials say include aimed at a powerful laser At a Philippine Coast Guard ship and temporarily blinding some crew members, Mr. Blinken pointed to diplomatic, not military, measures.
“The visibility of these actions has, I believe, prompted clear statements from a number of other countries in support of the Philippines and against these provocative actions that threaten peace, security, freedom of navigation and fundamental rights under international law. ” he said.
Mr. Blinken appeared to be trying to strike a balance at a time when the Biden administration is trying to maintain a recent thaw in relations with Beijing while remaining firm against Chinese territorial aggression in the region.
He also signaled robust U.S. support for the Philippines at a time when recent relations between the countries have been on edge. Mr. Blinken met later in the day with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has shifted his country’s foreign policy back toward Washington since succeeding Rodrigo Duterte, who openly derided the United States and embraced Beijing.
President Biden hosted Mr. Marcos at the White House last spring, and Mr. Blinken is one of several top officials to have visited the Philippines since Mr. Marcos’ election in May 2022.
The White House announced Monday that Marcos would return to the White House with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on April 11 for a joint summit – the first of the three nations. A statement from the White House press secretary praised “the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations.”
The US sees both economic and strategic benefits in the renewed friendship: the Philippines is one of seven countries to receive funding from the 2022 CHIPS Act, which was passed by Congress with the support of President Biden. The law authorizes new funding to boost U.S. semiconductor research and production and diversify the U.S. high-tech supply chain.
During his stopover in stuffy Manila, Mr. Blinken toured the local branch of an Arizona-based semiconductor company, calling the Philippines “an increasingly critical partner.”
But looming over such positive talk is the threat of conflict with China.
The US and the Philippines have been bound by a mutual self-defense treaty since 1951, which was signed a decade after Japan conquered the country but has now become a stumbling block against Chinese claims to the South China Sea. the United States has been rejected.
The Chinese media has noted Mr. Blinken’s visit here with disdain. The nationalist newspaper Global Times reported that “Washington’s use of Manila as a means to disrupt the situation in the South China Sea could take the regional strategic confrontation to an unprecedented level,” and accompanied his story with an unflattering photo of Mr. Blinken grimacing and furrowing his brow.
Global Times pointed the finger at Manila, accusing its forces of “illegally entering waters outside Chinese territory in the region and trying to mislead the international community on the issue.”
Mr Blinken plans to travel further from the Philippines to the Middle East, with stops in Cairo, Egypt and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He said he would continue efforts to reach a hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, which would lead to a temporary ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages and an influx of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Mr Blinken also plans to focus on post-war plans, including how to provide governance and security for Gaza once fighting stops and “what is the right architecture for lasting regional peace” – a reference to US efforts to build a agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Arabia which would establish normal diplomatic relations between the countries for the first time.