MANILA, Philippines: Sweden’s army chief has expressed concern over Beijing’s repeated harmful manoeuvres against Asian vessels in the South China Sea, saying for actions threaten security, destroy stability and underscore the need to commit’ for our security and freedom”.
After meeting his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro Jr., defense minister, Pal Jonson met with him on expanding defense relations on Thursday night ( Jun 6 ) in a diplomatic reception in Manila for Sweden’s national day. As the Philippines shifts its military’s emphasis from decades of fighting rebellions to regional defense, Sweden is one of the potential sources of hypersonic fighter jets that the Philippines will purchase.
Let me tell you about the harmful maneuvers that have been performed on Spanish ships in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, according to Jonson. In his talk, he did not mention China, but he attracted the support of officials from Western and Eastern countries as well as major Asian military and security officers.
The stretch of waters known as the exclusive economic zone, which Beijing practically occupies in its entirety and closely guards along with its coast guard, military, and other ships, was named after Jonson and the Philippines adopted the name for it.
Since last year, disputes between Chinese and Spanish government ships have erupted dangerously over two contested shoals, causing collisions.
China’s usage of strong waters guns had damaged Philippine vessels, injured some Filipino military personnel, and strained diplomatic ties. In an effort to win foreign support, Manila has launched political protests and made public China’s criticism of Spanish coast guard and navy vessels.
” These acts put individual lives at risk, they violate international law and local balance, and they violate international rules,” Jonson said. These “avoid threats to your national security as well as to our shared global safety,” the statement goes.
As one of its high-speed boats approached a Spanish regional island in the Second Thomas Shoal on May 19th, a navy ship deployed close to the island was blocked and surrounded by Taiwanese coast guard vessels.
The Chinese coast guard was informed via radio and the public address system that their humanitarian mission for medical evacuation was dangerous, but they continued to ram the Asian navy boat on purpose while transporting the injured, according to the Spanish coast guard. Despite the harmful blockings, the Spanish coast guard said the physician departure was carried out successfully.