Dennis Gaviola

Article (news)

Carmelle Lacuata

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — China on Thursday reiterated its claim that its activities in the South China Sea are &quot;legitimate and lawful&quot; as it urged the United States not to interfere in the issue. This, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States under President Donald Trump remained committed to the Philippines&#x27; defense, as tensions simmer with Beijing in the South China Sea.“China’s activities in relevant waters are legitimate, lawful, and fully justified. The US is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine China’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, still less should such cooperation support or advance the Philippines’ illegal claims,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a <a href="https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/xw/fyrbt/lxjzh/202501/t20250123_11543900.html">press conference</a>.In a call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo, Rubio &quot;underscored the United States’ ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty,&quot; State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.Rubio, a longtime hawk on China, discussed the &quot;dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea&quot; by Beijing, formally known as the People&#x27;s Republic of China (PRC).&quot;Secretary Rubio conveyed that the PRC&#x27;s behavior undermines regional peace and stability and is inconsistent with international law,&quot; Bruce said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/22/new-secretary-of-state-rubio-affirms-ironclad-us-commitment-to-philippines-0752">New Secretary of State Rubio affirms &#x27;ironclad&#x27; US commitment to Philippines</a></div>Rubio made the call with his Philippine counterpart a day after a veiled warning to Beijing on the South China Sea during a four-way meeting with his counterparts from India, Japan and Australia.The Philippines has engaged in increasingly tense confrontations with China over the disputed South China Sea waters and reefs over the past year.China claims most of the strategic waterway despite an international tribunal ruling that its claim lacked any legal basis. - with a report from Agence France-Presse<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/1/23/china-calls-us-missile-deployment-in-philippines-dangerous-2019">China calls US missile deployment in Philippines &#x27;dangerous&#x27;</a></div>

China reiterated its claim that its activities in the South China Sea are "legitimate and lawful" as it urged the United States not to interfere in the issue.

China reiterated its claim that its activities in the South China Sea are "legitimate and lawful" as it urged the United States not to interfere in the issue.

China tells US not to interfere in maritime issues with PH

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China tells US not to interfere in maritime issues with PH

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 23, 2025 11:28 PM PHT

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China

Philippines

US

South China Sea

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