China slams US for expanding military access in Philippines

MANILA, March 13 (Bloomberg): China hit back at the US for expanding military access in the Philippines, saying Washington was trying to "encircle and contain” Beijing, and is "driving a wedge” between the two Asian nations.

The Chinese embassy gave comments on Sunday, criticizing the US for moving to "secure its hegemony and selfish geopolitical interests.” Involving the Philippines "will seriously harm” the nation’s interest and endanger regional peace and stability, the embassy said in a statement responding to the US ambassador in Manila’s recent interview.

The Philippines last month gave the US access to four more military bases under the countries’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, with some of the sites believed to be in provinces near Taiwan. The 2014 pact allows the US to rotate its troops for prolonged stays as well as build and operate facilities on Philippine bases.

"The U.S. military has been coming all the way from the other side of the Pacific to stir up trouble in the South China Sea and ganging up with its allies from other parts of the world to flex muscle,” according to the statement.

"By doing these, the U.S. has not only heightened tension, driven wedge between China and Philippines, but has also disturbed and upset the joint effort of countries in this region to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

The Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been ramping up the rhetoric against Beijing on territorial dispute. At the same time, it plans to restart patrols with the US in disputed waters and expand military exercises with American troops.

Marcos’s administration has filed at least 77 diplomatic protests against China over "alleged” violations in the South China Sea since it started in June last year. That was almost a fifth of the 388 filings made by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who pivoted the Philippines’ foreign policy toward China during his six-year tenure.

"Now that China and the Philippines, among other countries of the region, are at a critical juncture of post-Covid recovery, we should keep to the right track of maintaining good-neighborlinesss and attaining mutual benefit rather than getting distracted by forces who are fanning the flame and driving a wedge between us,” China’s statement said.

The US has said its so-called "freedom of navigation operations” follow international law.

The Chinese Embassy statement echoed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks last week, where he said Beijing is grappling with "comprehensive containment and suppression by western countries led by the US.” Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang has also warned of moves to "contain and suppress China in all respects.” - Bloomberg