'We stand with allies': US reaffirms support to Philippines as Chinese vessels crowd reef

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said Washington will stand by its ally Philippines after more than 200 Chinese fishing vessels lined-up at the Whitsun reef in the South China Sea, a disputed archipelago between Manila and Beijing. Blinken, during a call with his Philippines counterpart Teodoro Locsin, rejected Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea as he reaffirmed a strong US-Philippine alliance for an open and free Indo-Pacific. Blinken stressed the importance of the Mutual Defense Treaty for the security of both nations, which will also apply to disputed territories in the South China Sea. 

What's happening near Whitsun reef?

Last week, the Philippine government informed that 220 Chinese fishing vessels were spotted by the country’s coast guards on March 7, anchored in a line-like formation ever since. The boats were seen at Whitsun Reef, which is known as Julian Felipe in the Philippines, a boomerang-shaped coral region 324 kilometers west of Bataraza town in Palawan province. According to the report, the area lies in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines but remains a disputed territory between Beijing and Manila.  

Philippines' response

As per reports, the Philippines foreign ministry has filed an official protest with China and has also deployed Navy and coast guard vessels to monitor the situation near the reef. Philippines Defence Minister Delfin Lorenzana has called on the Chinese authorities to immediately recall the ships, claiming that they are in violation of the country’s maritime rights. 

The dispute

Whitsun Reef is part of Union Banks, a resource-rich drowned archipelago in the South China Sea, which is presently claimed by China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei. China, with a far superior military, has been using pressure tactics for years to stake a claim on the reef despite an international arbitration ruling in favour of the Philippines. Critics suggest that the recent deployment of fishing boats is another technique to put pressure on the Philippines and other nations who claim the disputed archipelago.

(Image Credit: AP)