HONOLULU (Reuters) -The injuring of Filipino crew and damage to Philippine vessels in the South China Sea is “irresponsible behaviour and disregards international law”, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a joint press conference on Thursday.
Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told the press conference the job was to ensure that through building capacity and deterrence there were no situations where a Mutual Defense Treaty would be triggered.
“We need to assert our rights but in a manner that safeguards the safety of each and every member of the Philippines’ armed force,” he said.
China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart in Hawaii; Additional Reporting by Mikhail Flores in Manila; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and John Mair)
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