U.S. VP Harris visits Philippine island on fringe of contested South China Sea By Reuters

By Karen Lema

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday visits the Philippine island of Palawan within the South China Sea, a part of a three-day journey to an Asian ally that’s central to America’s bid to counter China’s more and more assertive stance within the area.

Beijing claims virtually all of the South China Sea, which is believed to include huge oil and fuel deposits and thru which billions of {dollars} in commerce passes annually.

Harris pledged on Monday the USA would defend the Philippines if it got here below assault within the waterway, reaffirming Washington’s “unwavering” dedication to its former colony.

Her feedback adopted a gathering with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who welcomed Harris for the primary time on the Philippine presidential palace.

Marcos mentioned the 2 nations’ robust ties had develop into much more essential, given what he known as “upheavals” within the area.

Harris’ go to to the Philippines, the highest-level journey to the Philippines by a Biden administration official, is seen as a part of Washington’s effort to revive ties with Manila, which moved nearer to China below former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We stand with you in defence of worldwide guidelines and norms because it pertains to the South China Sea,” Harris advised Marcos.

A 2016 ruling by an arbitration tribunal within the Hague mentioned Beijing’s South China Sea claims had no authorized foundation, delivering a victory for Manila.

The Philippines has been unable to implement the ruling and has since filed a whole bunch of protests over what it calls encroachment and harassment by China’s coastguard and its huge fishing fleet.

Whereas in Palawan, Harris will even reaffirm Washington’s assist for the 2016 tribunal ruling, a U.S. official mentioned.

Palawan is simply about 320 km (200 miles) from the Spratly islands, the place China has dredged the ocean ground to construct harbours and airstrips. Components of the archipelago are additionally claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The vp will go to a fishing village and tour a Philippine coast guard vessel throughout her journey, mentioned a U.S. official, on situation of anonymity.

The go to comes with U.S.-Sino tensions excessive, notably over Taiwan, the democratically ruled island China has lengthy vowed to carry below its management.

“We’re not towards the U.S.’s interplay with regional nations,” mentioned Chinese language international ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning when requested to remark about Harris’ go to to Palawan. “However it needs to be good for regional peace and stability and never damaging to different nations’ pursuits.”

Illustrating tensions within the space, China denied on Monday that considered one of its coastguard ships used drive to retrieve a chunk of a rocket floating within the ocean that was being towed by a Philippine vessel within the South China Sea.

A Philippine army commander mentioned the Chinese language coastguard ship “forcefully retrieved” the thing by reducing a line attaching it to a Philippine boat.

Dozens of protesters rallied in Manila on Monday towards the go to by Harris, saying they didn’t need the Philippines to be caught between U.S. and Chinese language rivalry.

Washington and the Philippines have moved forward with an Enhanced Protection Cooperation Settlement (EDCA), courting from the Obama administration, although it languished below Duterte.

EDCA permits the USA to take care of a army presence, however not a everlasting one, via the rotation of ships and plane for humanitarian and maritime safety operations at mutually agreed Philippine bases.