U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Philippines next week, following Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo’s recent trade visit to the Philippines. The visit comes amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China over maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
“Secretary Blinken will travel to Manila to reaffirm our strong commitment to our allies in the Philippines” and “promote peace and stability in the South China Sea,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a news conference on Thursday.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that he will meet with Blinken on March 19 to focus on cooperation and security issues.
“The Secretary’s visit will also underscore the importance of our strong bilateral relationship, which for 75 years has been instrumental in advancing our shared vision of a free, open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient Indo-Pacific region,” Miller said. Crucial.”
During Commerce Secretary Raimondo’s visit to Manila this week, she announced plans to invest more than $1 billion in the Philippine technology industry and help double the number of semiconductor factories in the country. Washington’s move is seen as a boost to Manila’s chip industry amid fierce competition with Beijing.
Blinken will depart on Thursday evening, first heading to Vienna for a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. His trip will include a stop in Seoul, where South Korea is hosting a democracy summit.
The meeting between Marcos and Blinken comes against the backdrop of growing tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Marcos is committed to safeguarding the Philippines’ maritime claims after Chinese President Xi Jinping called for military preparations for potential maritime conflicts.
Recent collisions in waters near Second Thomas Shoal, known to China as Second Thomas Shoal, have further heightened tensions between the two countries. This rich fishing ground is about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the nearest Philippine island and 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from China.
On March 5, the Philippine Coast Guard stated that Chinese ships performed dangerous maneuvers and fired high-pressure water cannons at Philippine ships, causing multiple collisions and damaging at least one Philippine ship.
China accuses the Philippines of invading its territory “without the permission of the Chinese government”. A Chinese spokesman said the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs “has made solemn representations to the Philippines and expressed strong protest.”
According to the legally binding ruling issued by the International Court of Justice in July 2016, Second Thomas Shoal is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and China has no legal maritime claims in the waters surrounding low-tide features.
Beijing rejected the ruling, claiming “undisputed sovereignty” over much of the South China Sea.
The United States says it stands with the Philippines. The U.S. State Department issued a strong statement on March 5, condemning “the People’s Republic of China for repeatedly obstructing Philippine ships” and stating that Beijing’s actions “ignore the safety and livelihood of Filipinos and disregard international law.”
The White House announced that it will receive Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for an official visit on April 10.Japanese media Asahi Shimbun According to reports, the leaders of Japan, the United States and the Philippines are planning to hold a summit in Washington at that time.
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