Philippines confronts Chinese diplomats over sea disputes

Territorial disputes in the busy waterway of Philippines have long loomed as a potential flashpoint in Asia and have become a sensitive front in the regional rivalry between China and the United States

Filipino diplomats confronted Chinese officials in closed-door talks on March 24, with a slew of protests over China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, including targeting a Philippine coast guard ship with a military-grade laser, but no resolution was reached on the issues, an official said.

Territorial disputes in the busy waterway have long loomed as a potential flashpoint in Asia and have become a sensitive front in the regional rivalry between China and the United States.

Washington lays no claims in the contested waters but has challenged Beijing’s extensive claims, including by deploying its warships and fighter jets and repeatedly warning that it would help defend the Philippines — a treaty ally — if Philippine forces, ships and aircraft are attacked. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims in the seaway, which sits atop vast deposits of oil and gas.

A Chinese delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held two days of talks starting on March 23, with Philippine counterparts led by Foreign Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro and reviewed overall relations. The two sides focused on their territorial disputes on March 24, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said.

The talks opened with both sides citing an agreement between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who made a state visit to China in early January, to manage the territorial conflicts amicably while enhancing economic ties and other aspects of a nearly half-century of diplomatic relations.

“We should not allow specific differences to define our bilateral relations or allow certain disputes to stand in the way of overall cooperation,” Mr. Sun said in an opening speech before journalists were asked to leave the meeting room.

A Philippine official involved in the talks told The Associated Press that Filipino diplomats outlined several incidents underscoring China’s assertiveness in the disputed waters in the closed-door talks. They cited Chinese “incursions” and a February 6 incident when a Chinese coast guard ship aimed a military-grade laser that briefly blinded some crew members of a Philippine patrol vessel off a disputed shoal, the official said.