Philippines President warns China to back off as tensions escalate in the South China Sea
American and Filipino forces have conducted live-fire military exercises as world defence ministers converge in Singapore for a major security summit, issuing a stern warning to Beijing.
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The US has confirmed it’s “all in” as Chinese pressure increases in the South China Sea.
It comes as the Philippines President has warned Beijing against escalating tensions in the contested waterway as his country’s army conducted live-fire exercises with US forces.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr told defence minsters from around the world at a major security forum in Singapore he would consider the death of any Filipino “an act of war”.
The Shangri-La Dialogue has become a barometer of US-China relations in recent years.
This year’s event comes a week after China held military drills around self-ruled Taiwan.
The world’s third most powerful military issued a chilling warning following the inauguration of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, who it claims is “a dangerous separatist”.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hailed a “new era of security” in Asia-Pacific, as the US strengthens a network of alliances aimed at countering China’s growing military might.
American military presence in the region is increasing, with regular deployment of warships and fighter jets in the South China Sea in response to increasing Chinese pressure.
Secretary Austin confirmed on Saturday that Asia-Pacific is Washington’s “priority theatre”.
“We are all in and we’re not going anywhere,” he said.
“This new convergence is producing a stronger, more resilient and more capable network of partnerships and that is defining a new era of security in the Indo-Pacific.”
The Philippines is a key ally for the US, given its strategic location.
The country expanded its agreement with the US military last year, giving American forces access to another four of its miliary bases, which takes the total number to nine.
It’s known as the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and it allows US troops to rotate through and store defence equipment and supplies and has infuriated Beijing.
Two of the bases are less than 450km from Taiwan.
It prompted China to accuse the US of using the Philippines as a “pawn to stir up trouble”.
Lieutenant General Jing Jianfeng accused the US of seeking to build “an Asia-Pacific version of NATO”, saying its presence was the “greatest challenge to regional peace and stability”.
However, the US Defense Secretary met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun for the first substantive face-to-face talks between the two countries’ defence chiefs in 18 months.
Secretary Austin said military-to-military communications between the US and China would resume in coming months and indicated he welcomed further discussion.
“I told Minister Dong that if he calls me on an urgent matter, I will answer the phone. And I certainly hope that he’ll do the same,” he said.
- With Wires
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Originally published as Philippines President warns China to back off as tensions escalate in the South China Sea
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