China is the "biggest disruptor" of peace in Southeast Asia, the Philippine defense chief said Tuesday, as tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea escalate.

China 08272024

Agence France-Presse

<p>MANILA (<strong>2nd UPDATE</strong>) -- China is the &quot;biggest disruptor&quot; of peace in Southeast Asia, the Philippine defense chief said Tuesday, as tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea escalate.</p><p>Gilberto Teodoro made the remarks at a conference of the US Indo-Pacific Command after repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the waterway over the past 12 months.</p><p>Beijing claims almost the entirety of the sea, brushing aside rival claims by other countries, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its stance has no legal basis.</p><p>China&#x27;s claims include reefs and waters inside the Philippines&#x27; Exclusive Economic Zone, which extends about 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) from the country&#x27;s coastal waters.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/regions/2024/8/26/china-coast-guard-plan-block-anew-ph-vessels-going-to-escoda-714">READ: China Coast Guard, PLAN block anew PH vessels going to Escoda</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/26/china-says-took-control-measures-against-philippine-ships-near-disputed-reef-1651">READ: China says took &#x27;control measures&#x27; against Philippine ships near disputed reef</a></div><p>&quot;China... is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region,&quot; Teodoro said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.</p><p>China deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarized to reinforce its claims.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q7_GjtFMCZo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Speaking to reporters, Teodoro urged other countries to call out China&#x27;s &quot;illegal acts&quot; until it yields to pressure to stop its actions.</p><p>&quot;We need a collective consensus and a strong call out against China,&quot; said Teodoro.</p><p>&quot;We are struggling against a more powerful adversary.&quot;</p><p>His comments come a day after China said it took &quot;control measures&quot; against two Philippine Coast Guard ships that had entered waters near Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands.</p><p>The Philippine Coast Guard had sent two vessels to deliver provisions to one of its ships at the reef.</p><p>They were forced to abandon the mission due to China&#x27;s &quot;excessive&quot; deployment of ships and rough sea conditions, Commodore Jay Tarriela, a spokesman for Manila&#x27;s coast guard, told AFP on Monday.</p><p>China, for its part, reiterated that it is the Philippines who kept on carrying “infringement activities and provations” in the South China Sea.</p><p>“Who has kept carrying out infringement activities and provocations in the South China Sea? Who has brought in forces outside the region to disrupt regional peace and stability? Countries in the region are clear-eyed. China is the last one that can be accused of “disrupting peace.” We urge certain people on the Philippine side to face up to the root cause of the issue, stop going down the wrong path of disrupting regional peace by stirring up troubles and making provocations, and stop the clumsy stunts of calling white black and falsely accusing China,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said in a press conference.</p><p>Several confrontations have taken place in recent days around Sabina Shoal, located 140 kilometers (86 miles) west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometers from Hainan island, China&#x27;s nearest major landmass.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/26/china-says-took-control-measures-against-philippine-ships-near-disputed-reef-1651">READ: Chinese vessels ram, fire water cannon at BFAR ship at Escoda Shoal</a></div><p>Both sides have stationed coast guard vessels at the shoal in recent months. Manila fears Beijing is about to build an artificial island.</p><p>Relations between the countries have frayed as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos&#x27;s administration stands up to Chinese actions in the contested waters.</p><p>In June, the Philippine military said one of its sailors lost a thumb in a confrontation in which Beijing&#x27;s coast guard also confiscated or destroyed Philippine equipment including guns near Second Thomas Shoal, also in the Spratlys.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0gjPXTzRX0w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>China is the "biggest disruptor" of peace in Southeast Asia, the Philippine defense chief said Tuesday, as tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed reefs and waters in the South China Sea escalate.</p>

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Philippines says China 'biggest disruptor' of peace in Southeast Asia

Philippines says China 'biggest disruptor' of peace in Southeast Asia

Agence France-Presse

Published Aug 27, 2024 11:28 AM PHT

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Updated Aug 27, 2024 09:18 PM PHT

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