US lauds PCG move to remove China floating barrier
The United States lauds the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) move to remove the floating barrier of China in the Scarborough Shoal recognizing it as part of the country's effort to support the international law.
"Over the past year, we've seen an unprecedented number of states enhance efforts to support rule of law in the South China Sea, which is a very encouraging development," Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Lindsey Ford said in a House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing.
"As you saw earlier this week, the Philippine Coast Guard took a bold step in defending their own sovereignty by removing a floating barrier installed by the PRC (People's Republic of China) Coast Guard near Scarborough Shoal," she said.
The efforts of the allied countries of United States to support the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the region was emphasized by Ford as he stressed China's "sharply increased coercive and risky operational behavior in the air and at sea" which threatens its allied and partner forces.
Ford said China's recent coercive and risky actions includes the "sinking Vietnamese fishing vessels, using military aircraft to harass Malaysian offshore energy exploration, flying within 20 feet of US military aircraft and deploying water cannons and military grade lasers to block and target Philippine resupply boats headed toward Second Thomas Shoal."
"Despite these attempts to assert for the control of the South China Sea, there is another better vision one that is shared by both the United States and the region," she said.
Ford said "in the face of PRC threats and intimidation we've seen Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam continue to expand their offshore energy exploration efforts and challenge PRC encroachment."
"We've seen partners across Southeast Asia and beyond the region come together to condemn PRC behavior in the South China Sea, including in August, Australia, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and the EU all protested the aggressive PRC maneuvers no we saw against the Philippines a Second Thomas Shoal," she said. Robina Asido/DMS
