At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the Philippine Foreign Minister lodged a formal protest with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi regarding recent “violent actions” by Beijing in the South China Sea, as well as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create videos insulting Filipinos. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also reiterated steadfast support for the Philippines.
Maria Theresa Lazaro, the Philippine Foreign Minister, stated on social media that during the ASEAN conference, she met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to have frank discussions on the Philippines-China relations. She reiterated their opposition to the unacceptable behavior towards Filipino personnel near Ayungin Shoal and protested strongly against the disturbing imagery in a video generated by AI in the China Daily.
In a statement, the Philippine Foreign Ministry highlighted that Minister Lazaro held the first bilateral meeting at the ministerial level with China in two years during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila. Emphasizing that differences on legal and political issues cannot justify using disturbing imagery, she drew clear red lines against the offensive and unacceptable portrayal of Filipinos as monkeys in the China Daily video on July 10.
Amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, conflicting accounts emerged following a collision and confrontation near the BRP Sierra Madre ship stranded at Ayungin Shoal between Philippine and Chinese forces.
The Philippine authorities accused Chinese coast guard personnel of wielding sticks to strike Filipino military personnel, while Beijing refuted the claims, stating that Filipino personnel initiated a malicious attack using oars and sticks.
Lazaro expressed her strong protest to Wang Yi in the closed-door meeting and stressed the importance of maintaining communication channels, managing tense situations, and seeking substantive ways to progress. Discussions encompassed political and security affairs, maritime and law enforcement issues, as well as regional and international developments.
Both sides specifically addressed the progress of negotiations on the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) and expressed continued willingness to work together to conclude the negotiations within the year.
Lazaro conveyed the Philippines’ consistent principles on the South China Sea issue, expressing deep concerns over Beijing’s encroachment on its maritime rights and interests and reiterating the demand for the dismantling of remaining structures on Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
Since the 2012 standoff at Scarborough Shoal between China and the Philippines, Beijing has maintained control over the waters surrounding the shoal, frequently barring Filipino fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds and deploying floating barriers and permanent structures. The Philippines subsequently sought arbitration on the South China Sea dispute at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). In a landmark ruling in 2016, the tribunal determined that China’s “nine-dash line” claim and historical rights claims in the South China Sea lack legal basis and identified Scarborough Shoal as a traditional fishing ground for multiple countries.
However, Beijing has consistently rejected and refused to acknowledge this ruling, continuing to militarize and expand facilities in the region. The South China Sea is a crucial waterway through which 60% of global trade passes. With Beijing adopting increasingly assertive tactics to assert its claims, confrontations in the South China Sea have become more frequent.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
The US has taken a firm stance against China’s aggressive actions. Lee Lipton, the US ambassador to Manila, criticized China’s actions in the South China Sea, noting that they could jeopardize regional stability and starkly contrast with the professionalism and discipline of the Philippine military.
Following a meeting with Wang Yi on Wednesday, Rubio explicitly stated that the recent conflict had an “escalatory nature” and was “of no benefit to anyone.” He reminded Wang Yi that Washington has a defense treaty with the Philippines and intends to uphold that treaty.
In response to the US’s pro-Philippines remarks, the Chinese Embassy in Manila later retorted that the US was “aggravating tensions in the South China Sea, sowing discord, and inciting trouble in the region.”
Meanwhile, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who also attended the ASEAN meeting, expressed concern over the provocative actions in the South China Sea and emphasized the importance of how Asian nations respond to the situation.
The “Quad” security dialogue involving the US, India, Australia, and Japan convened in Manila on Wednesday, issuing a statement strongly opposing any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo through the use of force or coercion, both in the East China Sea and the South China Sea.