China disrupting regional peace – Philippines
On Tuesday, the Philippine defense chief labeled China as the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia, amid rising tensions between Manila and Beijing over contested reefs and waters in the South China Sea.
Gilberto Teodoro made this statement during a conference hosted by the US Indo-Pacific Command, following a year of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the region. China’s expansive claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which extends about 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) from its coast, have been challenged by rival nations and contradicted by an international ruling deeming these claims unlawful.
Teodoro described China’s actions as the primary threat to international peace in the ASEAN region. Beijing has not only asserted its claims by deploying patrol boats but has also constructed and militarized artificial islands to bolster its position.
Teodoro urged the international community to collectively condemn China’s “illegal acts” and press for a halt to its activities. He emphasized the need for a unified response to address China’s aggressive behavior.
His remarks followed China’s recent action against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that attempted to reach Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands. These ships were forced to turn back due to China’s “excessive” deployment of vessels and adverse sea conditions, according to Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard.
Recent incidents around Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometers west of the Philippine island of Palawan and approximately 1,200 kilometers from China’s Hainan Island, have heightened tensions. Both the Philippines and China have stationed coast guard vessels at the shoal, with concerns that China might be preparing to build an artificial island there.
Relations between Manila and Beijing have deteriorated as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos’s administration challenges Chinese actions in the disputed waters. In June, the Philippine military reported that a sailor lost a thumb during a clash where Chinese coast guard forces also seized or destroyed Philippine equipment near Second Thomas Shoal, another contested area in the Spratlys.
