By Joyce Ann Rocamora | Philippine News Agency
The United States government is expecting tapered-off aggressive acts in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), following the collision of a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel in the Bajo de Masinloc on Aug. 11.
The two ships collided while the CCG vessel was chasing the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship BRP Suluan that was accompanying a mission to deliver supplies to Filipino fisherfolk.
“We’re very sorry for the collision and very hopeful that perhaps this will be a watershed event that could lead to ratcheting down some of these aggressive actions out in the West Philippine Sea,” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said in an interview on Friday night.
More than a day after the incident, the U.S. deployed two warships as part of its freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) in the region.
The envoy clarified that the FONOPs are a “very well established” program in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to demonstrate that the U.S. is committed to upholding and defending international law at sea.
“The United States Navy has always made it very clear, and the United States military overall, that we will fly, sail and operate anywhere that international law allows,” she said.
Meanwhile, she commended the PCG for its professionalism in the aftermath of the incident as they offered assistance to the distressed CCG ship.
“The Philippine Coast Guard operates very professionally in the high seas and in the waters under their jurisdiction and in waters where they enjoy sovereign rights. So, we were dismayed to see that this kind of aggressive activity—that illegal, coercive, aggressive, and offensive activities on the part of China continue to occur,” she said. (PNA)
