The USS Blueridge (LCC-19) the flagship of the United States Seventh Fleet drops anchor at the Manila South Harbor on Tuesday for a routine port call and a four-day goodwill visit. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/蜜桃工作室 PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The US Pacific commander Tuesday emphasized the Philippines鈥� importance as a military ally, as Filipino forces were involved in an increasingly tense standoff with Chinese ships in the South China Sea.
鈥淥ur 62-year alliance with the Philippines remains key to our efforts to ensure the stability and prosperity of the Western Pacific,鈥� Rear Admiral Robert Thomas told reporters in Manila.
He sailed to the Philippine capital on Tuesday aboard his command ship, the USS Blue Ridge, days after the latest of a series of hostile encounters between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.
China said its coastguard on March 9 blocked two Philippine-flagged vessels approaching Second Thomas Shoal, which is guarded by a small group of Filipino marines but is also claimed by China.
The Philippine military evaded the blockade by airdropping supplies to the troops.
The shoal that is part of the Spratlys, a chain of islets and reefs that sit near key shipping lanes, are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and are also believed to lie atop huge oil and gas reserves.
They are around 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,100 kilometres from the nearest major Chinese land mass.
China claims most of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its neighbors.
The Philippines grounded an old navy ship at Second Thomas Shoal in 1999, four years after China built structures on a nearby Filipino-claimed reef. Filipino troops have kept a presence on the ship ever since.
On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei warned that China 鈥渨ill never allow any form of occupation鈥� of the Second Thomas Shoal.
He repeated an allegation, denied by Manila, that the Philippine vessels were bringing construction materials there on March 9.
鈥淐hina watches closely and is highly vigilant on further possible provocations in the South China Sea by the Philippines and it must bear all the consequences arising therefrom,鈥� Hong said.
Asked what the US 7th Fleet would do to help the Filipino marines, Thomas said he did not wish to address 鈥渉ypothetical鈥� scenarios, but then highlighted his country鈥檚 1951 mutual defense pact with Manila.
鈥淎nd so without going into the hypotheticals, what I would offer is that the 7th Fleet is going to support this alliance. Period,鈥� he said.
The pact binds each country to come to the other鈥檚 aid if its armed forces or ships are attacked in the Pacific.
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