BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental — The United States Department of State has expressed its support to the Philippines in a stament published in its official website, as it condemns what it calls as “the unsafe and irresponsible actions by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) to interfere with a Philippine maritime air operation in the vicinity of Scarborough Reef.”
The US also called on China to refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.
The US cited instances where a Chinese helicopter came within three meters of the Philippine BFAR plane that was conducting a routine overflight, endangering the safety of the aircraft and its crew. Another incident involved “China’s separate unsafe and unprofessional maneuver on February 11 that endangered an Australian aircraft that was conducting a routine maritime patrol in the South China Sea”.
“Reckless Chinese actions such as these are a threat to navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and we will continue to support our allies and partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the statement added.
The US State Department further cited the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty which “extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea.”
