The US State Department and Japan expressed support for the Philippines after the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) allegedly fired water cannons against a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship as they were escorting two wooden boats delivering supplies and rotate troops at BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.

“Firing water cannons and employing unsafe blocking maneuvers, PRC (People's Republic of China) ships interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and crew,” the US State Department said in a statement released Saturday.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa said Sunday China’s actions and harassment were “totally unacceptable”.

“Totally unacceptable any harassment and actions which infringe on lawful activities of the sea and endanger the navigational safety,” Koshikawa said on X.

“We strongly support Philippine’s position, upholding maritime order based on UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and 2016 Arbitral Award,” he added.

According to the US, China’s actions are “inconsistent with the international law” and are “directly threatening regional peace and stability”.

The US State Department also said that China has “undertaken unwarranted interference in lawful Philippine maritime operations” by blocking the PCG vessel from providing food and other supplies to troops stationed at the Ayungin Shoal.

Citing the Arbitral Ruling of the Hague, it also maintained that China has no right to claim the sea around Ayungin Shoal which is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and called on them to abide by the ruling.

“The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea—would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” it said.

The Mutual Defense Treaty indicates that both countries would support each other if either were attacked by external forces. Jaspearl Tan/DMS