South China Sea: ‘stop harassing us’, Philippines foreign minister urges Beijing

Enrique Manalo said the Philippines was ‘committed to a peaceful resolution of disputes’ with China through ‘peaceful means’

Also on Monday, a coastguard ship was deployed to check on Chinese research vessels spotted in Benham Rise, which sits off the Philippines’ east coast

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A Chinese warship is seen at sunrise near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea late last month. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:01pm, 4 Mar 2024Updated: 1:22pm, 4 Mar 2024

Philippine foreign minister Enrique Manalo said on Monday that his country wants to solve maritime disputes with China peacefully – but delivered a simple message to Beijing: “stop harassing us”.

Speaking on the sidelines of an Asean-Australia summit in Melbourne, Manalo defended his government’s policy of publicising Chinese manoeuvres in contested maritime territory – including the recent passage of warships near Scarborough Shoal.

“It’s merely trying to inform the people of what’s going on,” Manolo said. “And some countries or one country at least has some difficulty with that.”

Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo pictured on Monday at the 2024 Asean-Australia summit in Melbourne. Photo: EPA-EFE

“But our simple explanation is if you would stop harassing us and, and perhaps performing other actions, there wouldn’t be any news to report.”

China claims almost the entire South China Sea as its territory, brushing aside claims from a host of Southeast Asian nations.

Scarborough Shoal – a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the disputed South China Sea – has been a flashpoint between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.

Philippine governments have tried to rally international and regional support to their cause – with mixed results.