The Philippines ‘ foreign ministry urged China to “reflect upon its own actions” in the South China Sea on Thursday ( Apr 18 ), citing the country’s decision to increase ties with Japan and the United States as a” sovereign choice”.
The foreign affairs department’s statement stated that” all are aware of the source of stress in our place.”
” It is China’s increased maritime claims and extreme behavior, including its militarisation of restored features, that are undermining local peace and stability and raising conflicts,” it added.
The statement addressed China’s criticism of the current multilateral conference between US President Joe Biden, Japanese President Fumio Kishida, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The three officials have simultaneously expressed major concerns about China’s “dangerous and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea.”
Mao Ning, a spokesman for the Foreign foreign ministry, stated at a lecture last week that Beijing is opposed to “forming unique lines in the region.”
According to the Philippine foreign ministry, China’s actions are causing tensions in the contested waterway and undermining local harmony.
South China Sea, which accounts for more than US$ 3 trillion in fleet trade annually, is dominated by China, which controls nearly the entire region. Its regional says overlap with waters claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague said China’s statements had no lawful base, a choice Beijing has rejected.