ISTANBUL: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has accused the Philippines of escalating tensions in the South China Sea, alleging that elements within the Philippine military and police deliberately provoked recent confrontations in the disputed waters.
Speaking during a meeting with Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in Manila on Tuesday, Wang said recent incidents at sea were the result of intentional actions by Philippine security forces, according to Chinese state media.
Wang is visiting the Philippine capital to participate in the China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, where regional security and maritime cooperation are expected to dominate discussions.
Addressing the long-running territorial dispute, Wang stressed that the South China Sea should remain a region of cooperation rather than a source of division between China and ASEAN member states.
He reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to working with ASEAN to reduce tensions, remove obstacles to regional cooperation, and accelerate negotiations on a Code of Conduct aimed at managing disputes in the contested waters.
The Chinese foreign minister also said Beijing hopes to promote a vision of peace, stability, cooperation, and friendship in the South China Sea while maintaining what he described as regional ownership of the issue.
For his part, Kao Kim Hourn expressed ASEAN’s willingness to cooperate with China in preserving peace and stability across the Asia-Pacific region. He reiterated the bloc’s support for the “dual-track” approach, which emphasizes dialogue, negotiations, and the swift conclusion of a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.
China and the Philippines have long-standing overlapping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea, with disputes primarily focused on the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. The latest diplomatic exchange follows a recent confrontation involving Filipino seafarers and the Chinese Coast Guard near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.
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