The United States reaffirmed its support for the Philippines as tensions rise in the South China Sea. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday condemned China’s “destabilizing plans” for Scarborough Shoal, a disputed atoll that lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone but has been under Beijing’s control since 2012.
Rubio criticized Beijing’s reported plan to declare Scarborough Reef a “nature preserve,” calling it another coercive step to expand its sweeping maritime claims at the expense of its neighbors. He urged China to respect the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which found Beijing had unlawfully blocked Filipino fishermen from traditional fishing rights in the area.
Filipino fishermen fear the move could further restrict access to the resource-rich atoll, already heavily monitored by Chinese vessels. The South China Sea, through which more than $3 trillion in trade passes annually, is claimed almost entirely by China despite overlapping claims by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
In response, the Philippines announced on Saturday that it conducted joint naval drills with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Japan’s navy off Zambales province, just 120 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal. The exercises underscore Manila’s growing security ties with Washington and Tokyo as tensions with Beijing escalate.
Meanwhile, Chinese state media outlet Global Times accused Manila of carrying out a “joint patrol” in the South China Sea with unnamed countries outside the region, further fueling diplomatic friction.
Rubio stressed that China’s actions undermine regional peace and stability, while reaffirming Washington’s commitment to stand with the Philippines in safeguarding maritime rights.