US to continue operations in South China Sea despite China's dissent — Pentagon chief
MANILA, Philippines — Washington will continue to conduct freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) and confront China's increasing militarization in the South China Sea, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said.
Mattis noted that the US has always been transparent on its operations in the contested waters and that there's only "one country" that has expressed opposition against the FONOPs.
"On the FONOPs, they're freedom of navigation operations. And you'll notice there's only one country that seems to take active steps to rebuff them or state their resentment of them," Mattis told reporters aboard a US military plane.
The Pentagon chief further noted that Washington is not hiding its operations in the South China Sea as it has always been announced through public affairs statements.
Mattis reiterated that Chinese President Xi Jinping has reneged on his promise not to militarize the Spratly Islands.
"We have seen—the last month, they have done exactly that, moving weaponry in that was never there before," Mattis said.
Beijing has deployed new missile systems and jamming equipment on its "big three" islands in the Spratlys. The Chinese Air Force also recently landed a nuclear-capable bomber aircraft on its outpost in the Paracel Islands.
Washington will continue to confront nations behaving out of step with international law, Mattis said, referring to Beijing.
"That's the way we do business in the world. But we are also going to confront what we believe is out of step with international law, out of step with international tribunals that have spoken on the issue, and part of this is we maintain a very transparent military activity out in the Pacific," the Pentagon chief said.
Mattis stressed that US partners and allies are "very open" with Washington's FONOPs in the region.
"So, when they do things that are opaque to the rest of us, then we cannot cooperate in areas that we would otherwise cooperate in," he said.
Last week, the Pentagon withdrew its invitation for China to participate in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercises, the world's largest multinational naval exercise.
The Pentagon said that the decision to disinvite China was an "initial response" to the latter's militarization of the South China Sea.
"We have strong evidence that China has deployed anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missile systems, and electronic jammers to contested features in the Spratly Islands region of the South China Sea," the Pentagon said in a statement.
Related video:
The United States Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis continues underway in the South China Sea.
The US Pacific Command just reported that it has received "cargo" from support ship USNS Rainier in the disputed waters.
#GreatGreenFleet's USS @Stennis74 receives cargo from USNS #Rainier in the #SouthChinaSea - @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/MnJWrow6Vv
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) June 10, 2016
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducts an aerial maritime inspection over Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc on Thursday, according to a report of PTV.
PTV says BFAR is checking if the southeast portion of Bajo de Mansinloc remains free from illegal and hazardous floating barriers.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Coast removed the chains surrounding the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc installed by the China Coast Guard. — PTV
The National Security Council condemns the installation of the floating barriers of the China Coast Guard in Bajo de Masinloc, PTV reports on Monday.
“It ruled categorically that such action by the PRC violated the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen in the shoal who have been fishing there for centuries," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya says.
"Any State that prevents them from doing artisanal fishing there violates UNCLOS and international law, in general,” he adds.
PTV reports that BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21.
“The joint sail is part of the Philippine Navy's regular engagements with its partners in the Philippines' maritime zones. Bravo Zulu to all the personnel of both ships and those who planned this activity," Ltc Enrico Gil Ileto, Public Affairs AFP chief says.
WATCH: BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21. (????: AFP Wescom) | via Bea Bernardo (1/2) pic.twitter.com/DmJguzJSiF
— PTVph (@PTVph) September 22, 2023
Ahead of the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcis Jr, the descendants of the Bai sa Condor and Anta sa Tebouk, on behalf of the Iranun in the Philippines composed of 16 sultans, formally declares ownership of the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoals as patrimony from their ancestors.
The declaration of ownership is led by Sultan Tomas Reyes Cabili, Jr. as part of the advocacy of the Tomas Ll. Cabili Foundation (TLC Foundation).
"TLC Foundation is doing this for our country’s sake as a whole on our claim for what is ours. Not just for our Muslim brothers and the Moro Origins of Mindanao (IRANUN), BUT for all the Filipinos - and the next generations to come. All the Philippines’ descendants of the Iranunis unfurling the historical dimension of the Spratlys and the ScarboroughShoals to strengthen the Philippines' claim on them and complement the theoretical frameworks already presented in the United Nations," Cabili says.
Raymond Powell, project lead at the Gordion Knot Center for National Security Innovation, tweets that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels "maneuvered dangerously close" to two Philippine Coast Guard ships on a resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last week.
In a tweet, Powell identifies the ships as BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua. He says these were escorting a small-boat resupply mission to the Philippines' outpost aboard BRP Sierra Madre and were met by an armada of CCG and militia ships, as well as a possible navy vessel.
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