Damage, injury to Philippines in South China Sea is 'irresponsible behaviour', says US Defence Secretary

HONOLULU — The injuring of Filipino crew and damage to Philippine vessels in the South China Sea is "irresponsible behaviour and disregards international law", US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told a joint press conference on May 2.

Manila and Beijing have traded barbs almost daily since Tuesday's confrontation at the disputed Scarborough shoal, where China's coast guard used water cannon against to two vessels from the Philippines, prompting outrage from its government.

"We've been very clear to everyone, to include Beijing, that the kind of behaviour that we've seen, where Filipino crews are put in danger... sailors have been injured and property damaged, that is irresponsible behaviour," he told a joint press conference in Hawaii.

Austin reiterated the United States would continue to support its former colony the Philippines, as outlined in a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty.

"Our commitment to the treaty is ironclad and we stand with the Philippines," he said after a meeting with defence counterparts of the Philippines, Australia and Japan.

The treaty binds the two countries to defend each other in the event of attack, including in the South China Sea, upping the stakes in a long-running battle for power that has seen China double-down in asserting its territorial claim over most of the waterway, a key global trade route.

Appearing alongside Austin, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the two were committed to building capacity and deterrence to ensure no situation emerged that would require the treaty to be invoked.

"We need to assert our rights but in a manner that safeguards the safety of each and every member of the Philippines' armed force," he said.

Teodoro refused to speculate about the conditions in