China’s foreign minister urges Philippines to work with Beijing after latest South China Sea clash

Wang Yi urged Manila to ‘cherish mutual trust’ after a Chinese coastguard ship fired water cannon at a Philippine ship supplying troops on a disputed reef

Speaking on a visit to Malaysia and Singapore, Wang also suggested that the US was trying to fuel confrontation in the disputed waters

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A Philippine general said using water cannons against navy ships would be “tantamount to an act of war” by China. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:59pm, 12 Aug 2023

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has urged the Philippines to work with Beijing to defuse tensions in the South China Sea, while suggesting “black hands” in the United States were trying to undermine regional stability.

Wang made the remarks during a three-day trip to Singapore and Malaysia this week, his first overseas tour since he was reappointed as foreign minister last month following the abrupt removal of the previous incumbent Qin Gang.

Tensions caused by the long-running territorial dispute in the South China Sea flared up again last weekend after Chinese coastguard ships blocked and fired water cannon at a Philippine ship on a resupply mission to troops stationed near Second Thomas Shoal.

State news agency Xinhua said on Saturday that Wang had discussed the situation and outlined China’s position when meeting senior officials in Singapore and Malaysia.

“China has repeatedly expressed its willingness to resolve differences with the Philippines through bilateral dialogues, hoping that the Philippine side would abide by the consensus reached in the past, and cherish the mutual trust accumulated through the improvement of bilateral relations,” Wang said.

Wang, who is also President Xi Jinping’s top foreign policy aide, tried to downplay the tensions in the South China Sea – where China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia all have competing claims – and said the situation there was one of “overall stability”.