Philippines Slams Xi Jinping Army's 'Deliberate' Aggression In South China Sea: 'Aggressive And Illegal Use Of Force'

In a recent development, the Philippines has labeled the South China Sea incident from last week, where a Filipino soldier lost a finger, as a “deliberate act” by China.

What Happened: Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro stated that the encounter with Xi Jinping‘s army was neither a misunderstanding nor an accident, Bloomberg reported on Monday. This statement came after Teodoro and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the Western Command troops overseeing the disputed waters.

"We are not downplaying the incident. It was an aggressive and illegal use of force," Teodoro said.

He also confirmed that the Philippines’ policy of asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea remains unchanged.

The Defense Secretary revealed that the Philippines will not disclose schedules for resupply missions to its military outpost in Second Thomas Shoal, contradicting a previous statement by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.

Teodoro’s comments reflect the Philippines’ intention to hold China accountable for the June 17 clash, where Chinese coast guard crew allegedly used bladed weapons to puncture boats, seized guns, and rammed Philippine vessels, resulting in a Filipino sailor losing his thumb.

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In response to Teodoro’s recent remarks, China reiterated its claim over the Second Thomas Shoal. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning urged the Philippines to return to negotiations with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Despite the escalating tensions, the Philippines has assured that it would not resort to force or intimidation in the contested waters. National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano clarified that the recent clash could not be classified as an “armed attack” that could trigger Manila’s defense treaty with the U.S.

Why It Matters: This incident follows a series of escalating tensions in the South China Sea. In May, the Philippines pledged to de-escalate tensions in the region, with President Marcos Jr. stating that the country would not resort to the use of water cannons or any other offensive weapons.

However, a collision between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the Spratly Islands in June ignited a dispute, with the Philippines accusing Beijing of spreading deceptive information about the incident.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari