Philippines keeps its options open amid bid to defuse Whitsun Reef row with China
- Even as Manila and Beijing engage in diplomatic discussions, the Philippine defence and foreign affairs departments say they are keeping their options open
- While one official floated the possibility of expelling a Chinese envoy, observers say diplomacy is key to resolving the row without either side ‘losing face’
Tensions over the Whitsun Reef in the Spratly Islands, which both China and the Philippines claim, have heightened in the past month after more than 200 Chinese boats were spotted in waters within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Manila said the boats were part of Beijing’s maritime militia. China denied this, insisting the vessels were merely seeking shelter from bad weather.
While many of the boats have now spread out across the Spratlys, Manila and Beijing have continued firing broadsides at each other, with the Philippines vowing to file diplomatic protests daily as long as the vessels remained in its EEZ.
Philippine defence department spokesman Arsenio Andolong on Thursday said: “As the situation evolves, we’re keeping all our options open in managing the situation, including leveraging our partnerships with other nations such as the United States.”
Washington has said that any armed attack against the Philippines military or public vessels would trigger US obligations under the US-Philippines Mutual Defence Treaty.