Biden prodded on joint WPS patrols

Members of the United States House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee condemned China's "unlawful" actions in the West Philippine Sea that led to collisions of a Philippine resupply boat and its Philippine Coast Guard escort ship.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), along with Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific Chairwoman Young Kim (R-CA) and Ranking Member Ami Bera (D-CA), issued a joint statement to express their support for the Philippines.

"We unequivocally support the Philippines and condemn the unlawful actions by the Chinese Coast Guard in the South China Sea," the US lawmakers said.

"The Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels intentionally hit PCG ships over the weekend and continue to violate international law, endanger Filipino crew members, and obstruct Philippine vessels' access to their own exclusive economic zone," they added.

The 22 October incident was "part of a larger pattern of the People's Liberation Army Navy, its maritime militia, and the Chinese Coast Guard's aggressive and provocative behavior in the South China Sea, where it actively intrudes in other states' exclusive economic zones," they said.

Over the weekend, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea accused the CCG of performing "dangerous blocking maneuvers" that resulted in a collision with the Unaiza May 2, an indigenous boat contracted by the AFP for its routine resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.

During the mission, a Chinese maritime militia vessel "bumped" the PCG ship, BRP Cabra, on its port side. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the PCG to investigate the incident.

The American legislators also backed US President Joe Biden's announcement of increased joint patrols with the Philippines and other partners in the South China Sea and his administration's reaffirmation to uphold its commitment under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

Earlier this week, the White House said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan assured Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo Año of US support in safeguarding its sovereign rights in the WPS under the two nations' MDT.

Signed in 1951, the Philippines and the US agreed under the MDT that an armed attack on either of the parties would be considered an attack on the other, thus, joint actions may be taken by the US and the Philippines to protect each other.

Meanwhile, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the collisions would convince more countries to undertake freedom of navigation sorties with the Philippines in the WPS.

"I believe it will invite more countries that have an interest in freedom of navigation to participate not only in joint patrols but in other security engagements with the Philippines," Teodoro said.

Teodoro said the Philippine government is considering many options to address China's increasing aggression in the WPS.