Is Manila pivoting back to the US with Locsin’s South China Sea warning?
- Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr issues unexpected warning over Chinese naval exercises near Paracel Islands
- Statement comes as US and Chinese forces gather in the South China Sea, and is seen by some as evidence Manila may be rethinking its pivot to Beijing
On Friday, Locsin released a five-minute video statement in which he expressed concern over military exercises held by China near the Paracel Islands, vowing that the Philippines would respond “severely” if Chinese naval drills encroached on its territory.
“Should the exercises spill over to Philippine territory, then China is forewarned that it will be met with the severest response, diplomatic and whatever else is appropriate,” Locsin said in the video, though he did not say what the response might be. He also questioned China’s recent establishment of administrative districts in the South China Sea.
“We have previously protested the establishment of districts Xisha and Nansha, under the administrative jurisdiction of Sansha City, noting that the creation of Sansha City is null and void ab initio for being devoid of basis in international law,” he said. “This is the problem with playing fast and loose with historical narratives and historical names. They open themselves to error, unless the real purpose is to excuse and challenge mistakes that may over time harden into rights.”
The USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carriers began conducting flight drills in the South China Sea on July 4, with the US describing the exercises as “standing up for the right of all nations to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows”.