US warns China against 'armed attack' on Filipino vessels

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday, stating that any “armed” attack on Philippine vessels in the South China Sea would activate a mutual self-defence agreement between Washington and Manila, underscoring the escalating tensions in the region that could potentially embroil the United States in conflict with Beijing, as reported by The New York Times.

Despite the warning, Blinken’s visit to Manila aimed to mitigate the situation, with no explicit confirmation that recent Chinese actions, such as ramming Philippine vessels and employing water cannons, constituted “armed” attacks.

When pressed during a joint news conference with his Philippine counterpart on addressing China’s “grayzone coercion tactics,” which include incidents like directing a high-powered laser at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, temporarily blinding crew members, Blinken emphasised the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions over military responses, as per The New York Times.

“The very visibility of those actions, I think, has provoked from a number of other countries clear statements in support of the Philippines and against these provocative actions that are a threat to peace, security, freedom of navigation and basic rights under international law,” he said.