China is pushing the Philippines `to the wall’ with aggression in the South China Sea, Manila says
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine security official said Tuesday that China is “pushing us to the wall” with growing aggression in the disputed South China Sea and warned that “all options are on the table” for Manila’s response, including new international lawsuits.
A large Chinese coast guard ship patrolled hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal in recent days and then sailed toward the northwestern coast of the Philippines on Tuesday, coming as close as 77 nautical miles (143 kilometers), Philippine officials said in a news conference.
“The presence of the monster ship in Filipino waters … 77 nautical miles from our shoreline, is unacceptable and, therefore, it should be withdrawn immediately by the Chinese government,” Jonathan Malaya, assistant director-general of the National Security Council, said at the news conference alongside senior military and coast guard officials.
“You’re pushing us to the wall,” Malaya said of China. “We do not and will not dignify these scare tactics by backing down. We do not waver or cower in the face of intimidation. On the contrary, it strengthens our resolve because we know we are in the right.”
A Chinese official said in Beijing that his country’s sovereignty in the South China Sea is well established and its coast guard patrols are lawful and justified.
“We once again urge the Philippines to immediately stop all infringement, provocation and malicious hype,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing when asked about Malaya’s comments.
The Chinese government has repeatedly accused the Philippines and other rival claimant states including Vietnam and Malaysia of encroaching on what it says are “undisputed” Chinese territorial waters.
Two Philippine coast guard