Aquino to visit China amid Spratlys rift

President Benigno Aquino lll. AP 

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III plans to visit China in coming weeks but the friendly gesture doesn’t mean the Philippines is backing down from its assertions Chinese forces intruded in its waters, an official said.

The Philippines alleges Chinese forces intruded at least nine times into Manila-claimed areas in the Spratly Islands since February, allegations that sparked an exchange of diplomatic protests and verbal jabs. Aquino has strongly criticized China, saying two weeks ago that his country would not be bullied by China in the disputed region.

The presidential trip will likely take place in late August or early September, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said Thursday.

The Spratlys, a chain of barren, largely uninhabited islands, reefs and banks in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) are claimed wholly by China, Taiwan and Vietnam and partly by the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. The islands are believed to be atop vast oil and gas deposits.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao has denied his government committed any intrusion but acknowledged that Chinese vessels were exercising Beijing’s sovereign rights in one incident at the Reed Bank near the Spratlys. Philippine officials complained the Chinese vessels harassed a Philippine oil exploration ship into leaving the Reed Bank in March.

Just before he traveled last week to Washington, del Rosario said he was told that the Philippine military was verifying another foreign intrusion into a Manila-claimed Spratlys area.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gave strong assurances that the US is committed to the defense of the Philippines and would provide affordable weaponry amid mounting tensions in the Spratlys, del Rosario said.

Del Rosario said he separately gave US defense officials a list of equipment the Philippines needs to improve its capability to monitor foreign intrusions in its territorial waters near the Spratlys.

Clinton assured del Rosario that the US would honor its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines that calls on each country to help defend the other against an external attack by an aggressor in their territories or in the Pacific region, he said.

Del Rosario said he told US officials that if the Philippines receives defense equipment, “we become a stronger ally for you.”

China says it has sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. It has also criticized the US for its involvement, saying disputes over sea claims should be handled by the parties directly involved.