Philippines concerned about Chinese bombers in disputed S. China Sea

Reuters/NAN

Philippines on Monday expressed “serious concerns’’ over the presence of China’s strategic bombers in the disputed South China Sea.

Harry Roque, Spokesman of President Rodrigo Duterte, said China’s air force said bombers such as the H-6K had landed and taken off from

islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of training exercises drawing angry reactions from opposition lawmakers in Manila.

The U. S. also sent ships to the disputed areas.

Rique said the Philippines could not independently verify the presence of Chinese bombers in the South China Sea.

“But we take note of the reports that appeared and we express our serious concerns anew on its impact to efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region,’’ Roque told a regular media briefing at the presidential palace.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines said it was monitoring developments.

“We are taking the appropriate diplomatic action necessary to protect our claims and will continue to do so in the future,’’ it said in a statement, but it did not elaborate.

However, the foreign ministry stopped short of condemning China’s action, which Washington said could raise tension and destabilise the region.

In Beijing, a foreign ministry spokesman urged other countries not to over-interpret what he called a routine military patrol.

“We hope that relevant parties do not read too much into this,” Lu Kang told a daily news briefing.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which about 3 trillion dollars worth of sea-borne goods pass every year.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have conflicting claims in the area.

China has built seven artificial islands in the Spratlys group in the South China Sea and turned them into military outposts with airfields, radars, and missile defenses.

Beijing says its military facilities in the Spratlys are purely defensive and it can do what it likes on its own territory.

Roque and foreign ministry officials said Manila would raise China’s moves to militarise its manmade islands in the Spratlys during two-way consultations in China set for the second half of the year.

Lawmakers in the Philippines have criticized Duterte for setting aside an arbitration ruling by The Hague the country won in 2016.

Former foreign minister Albert del Rosario has urged Duterte to “revisit’’ the country’s foreign policy.

“We are opposed to war – as we should be. But if threatened by the use of force, we should be ready to inflict, at the very least, a bloody nose on any attacker who is out to harm us,’’ Del Rosario said in a statement.

Duterte has said he would not risk a confrontation with China and has reiterated his openness to joint exploration and development in waters believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.