US security adviser says no need for Beijing to ‘overreact’ to South China Sea row

WASHINGTON D.C. — There is no need for China to overreact to the current situation in the South China Sea amid the ongoing tensions with countries such as the Philippines, White House National Security adviser John Kirby said.

Asked to comment on the recently conducted Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), Kirby said the joint patrols come in the context of the tensions over the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef among the Spratly Islands.

“I can’t speak for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) reaction one way or another, except to say there’s no reason to overreact to this,” he told reporters in a press briefing at the Philippine Embassy here.

“This is about freedom of navigation, it’s about adherence to international law, it’s about proving the simple point that we and our allies will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law commends us to do, and it does in the South China Sea and we did, and I think you can look forward to additional opportunities for us to conduct those kinds of maritime patrols,” he added.

The MMCA was conducted by the four countries on Sunday, the first of its kind, in the West Philippine Sea, in line with their commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation.

Naval and air forces of the four countries — including the Philippines’ BRP Gregorio Del Pilar with an AW109 helicopter, BRP Antonio Luna with an AW159 Wildcat ASW helicopter, and BRP Valentin Diaz from the Philippine Navy — conducted communication exercises and diversion tactics in the area.

“They are really about reconfirming a simple principle about international maritime law and international waters,” Kirby said.

The MMCA came ahead of the Trilateral Leaders Summit to be attended by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and US President Joe Biden in Washington on Thursday, April 11.

Marcos is also set to hold a bilateral meeting with Biden on the same day, while Biden and Kishida were scheduled to hold a separate one on Wednesday, April 10.

While the summit is set to deepen the alliance and relations of the three countries, Kirby said concerns regarding the South China Sea are set to take center stage once the leaders meet.

“I would expect that the two leaders, when they have the chance to talk tomorrow, will clearly talk about the rising tensions in the South China Sea and I think it will come up in the trilateral meeting as well,” he said.

“But really towards an eye towards what we can all do better together to improve our maritime cooperation, and I’m sure that the leaders will have more to say at the end of it,” he added.

The China Coast Guard on March 23 water cannoned a Philippine resupply ship en route to the Ayungin Shoal, causing heavy damage and hurting three sailors. The resupply ship was on a mission to provide supplies to the decrepit Navy vessel – the BRP Sierra Madre – that has been aground in the country’s outpost in the area.

“We’ve been watching those tensions with great concern and we again urge the PRC to abide by the 2006 ruling and to recognize, as we do, that the Second Thomas Shoal falls within the Philippine economic exclusion area, and we will continue to make that point,” he said.

Just last week Marcos said the Philippines wanted to maintain peace in the West Philippine Sea, but it needs to “respond to the actual situation on the ground.”

Prior to leaving for Washington, Marcos also said he was “horrified” by the supposed gentleman’s agreement entered into by former President Rodrigo Duterte with the Chinese government involving the BRP Sierra Madre. — BAP, GMA Integrated News