Philippines must “do more” than protest China’s actions in the South China Sea, Marcos says

By Neil Jerome Morales and Mikhail Flores

MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday his country must “do more” than just protest against the “illegal actions” taken by China against his country’s navy during its routine supply mission in the South China Sea last week.

“We have filed over a hundred protests and already made a similar number of demarches,” Marcos told reporters. “We have to do more than just that.”

No shots were fired on June 17, so the Chinese coast guard’s actions could not be considered an armed attack. However, it was a “deliberate action to prevent our people” from supplying troops stationed at the disputed Second Thomas Reef, Marcos said.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Marcos’ remarks on Thursday.

A Filipino sailor suffered “serious injuries” after the Chinese coast guard “intentionally rammed” him at high speed, according to the Chinese military. The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied this, saying the coast guard’s actions were legal.

The United States, which has condemned China’s actions, reiterated its ironclad commitment to the Philippines during a phone call between Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday.

“The two officials discussed the importance of preserving the right of all nations to fly, sail and operate – safely and responsibly – wherever international law permits,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Philippines has not asked the United States for assistance in supplying its troops, the Philippine ambassador in Washington said on Wednesday, adding that the United States was only providing his country with “visual support.”

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Philippines had sought a meeting with Chinese officials to ease tensions, not to resolve territorial claims, and he hoped it would take place “perhaps early next month.”

Romualdez said that if the Philippines fails to supply its troops, it would be tantamount to “killing our soldiers” through hunger and thirst.

“I don’t think China wants a big conflict. And we certainly don’t want one. So this is a good starting point,” he said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

An international tribunal rejected China’s far-reaching demands in 2016; Beijing rejects this ruling.

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Kim Coghill, Michael Perry and Gerry Doyle)