China protests US military support to Philippines

From Update.Ph (Apr 21): China protests US military support to Philippines

The Chinese government has protested United States’ military aid to the Philippines saying US is the one pushing for tension in West Philippine Sea.

“What stands out is the more frequent and high-profile appearances of US military jets and vessels. Just the day before yesterday, the US Ambassador to the Philippines assured the Philippines of an observation blimp and 42 million US dollars’ worth of military equipment. The fact is that if the situation in the South China Sea gets tense, then the US is the biggest pusher behind it,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a press conference April 20.

She added that “blaming the tense situation in the South China Sea on China getting aggressive is calling white [a] black and confusing right and wrong.”

“The so-called tense situation in the South China Sea is a drama jointly staged by the US and the Philippines for their own political motives,” Hua Chunying said.

This statement from the Chinese spokesperson came after British Minister of State for the Foreign Office Hugo Swire told a forum that tensions in West Philippine Sea are driven by China’s assertive actions.

Swire added that the arbitral tribunal’s ruling on case filed by Philippines should be binding on both China and the Philippines. The UK will stand alongside the US in support of the ruling.

http://www.update.ph/2016/04/china-protests-us-military-support-to-philippines/4590