China pushes back ‘use’ of bilateral treaties to ‘interfere’ in South China Sea

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - China on Tuesday pushed back what it called the “use of so-called bilateral treaties to interfere” in the disputed South China Sea.

“China is firmly against any country using so-called bilateral treaties as excuses to interfere in South China Sea issues,” said Tan Kefei, spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry, on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the ministry, Tan was responding to questions on the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the recently revealed Bilateral Defense Guidelines (BDG) between Washington and Manila.

Due to the “joint efforts of countries in the region,” said Tan, “the current situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable.”

“The South China Sea should be a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation, and should not be turned into an arena for individual countries to fight against each other,” he added.

However, Tan asserted: “We firmly oppose any country meddling in the South China Sea issue under the pretext of the so-called bilateral treaty and undermining China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

“The Chinese military pays close attention to relevant developments and will take necessary measures to resolutely defend the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and resolutely maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he added.

Beijing’s response came after the US and the Philippines early this month announced expanding maritime cooperation.

The announcement came after Pentagon hosted Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 3 and the two allies announced the implementation of bilateral maritime security frameworks including BDG.

“Priority areas of collaboration include, deepening interoperability between the navies and maritime law enforcement agencies … continued conduct of bilateral exercises and training and combined maritime activities, including but not limited to joint patrols,” read the US and Philippines BDG.

It added any armed attack in the Pacific, “anywhere in the South China Sea, on either Philippine or (the) US armed forces – which includes both nations’ Coast Guards – aircraft, or public vessels, would invoke mutual defense commitments under Article IV and Article V of the MDT.”

The two countries signed the MDT in 1951.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had reiterated Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to the Philippines under the MDT.

The treaty, Austin said: “Applies to armed attacks on our armed forces, coast guard vessels, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific, including anywhere in the South China Sea.”

Addressing Marcos, Austin had said: “So, make no mistake, Mr. President, we will always have your back in the South China Sea or elsewhere in the region.”

The mineral-rich warm waters of the South China Sea have long been a subject of contention between China and some regional countries, with the US siding with countries opposing Beijing's claims.

In 2016, the Philippines won a case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated China's South China Sea expansion claims.

Washington has frequently sailed its warships and flown its fighter jets over the warm waters of the South China Sea under the so-called "freedom of navigation," which Beijing has repeatedly denounced as a violation of its territorial integrity.

China's claims are based on its "nine-dash line," which are purple dashes on official Chinese maps that represent Beijing's historical claims to the sea.