AFP thanks US offer of aid on WPS but will exhaust all options first

HARASSMENT IN WPS A China Coast Guard vessel trains its water cannon on BRP Datu Sanday, which is on its way to Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. The latest confrontation between Manila and Beijing happened on Aug. 25, leaving the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources boat damaged. —NESTOR CORRALES

BAGUIO CITY—Though thankful for the US offer to join rotation and resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner said the military would exhaust all options first before seeking help.

“We’re happy that the United States has given us a lot of options, including that of joining or escorting us for the voyage,” Brawner told journalists after a meeting of the Mutual Defense Board–Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) here.

“We will depend on ourselves first and will exhaust all options before asking for help,” he said.

READ: PH, US military officials inspect Basa Air Base in Pampanga

It was the first time the MDB-SEB met outside Manila with the treaty meeting held at Brawner’s alma mater, the Philippine Military Academy.

To establish a credible defensive posture, Brawner said the military was seeking more weapons systems “to develop the deterrence effect.”

“We want to get more of the latest weapons systems, that includes the mid-range capability,” he added.

Brawner was apparently referring to the mid-range capability Typhon missile launcher system, but he did not specify what missiles he was referring to since the launcher can fire both Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk missiles.

Brawner’s counterpart in the talks, Adm. Samuel Paparo of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said the United States has prepared a range of military options and stands ready to execute these options “shoulder to shoulder” with the Philippines.

Paparo said the Philippine-American Balikatan exercises in 2025, which were discussed at the MDB-SEB meetings, would be a “full and comprehensive rehearsal” for the defense of Philippine maritime territory.

Wang-Sullivan meeting

In Beijing, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on Wednesday warned visiting US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan over supporting the Philippines in the disputed South China Sea, state media reported.

“The United States must not use bilateral treaties as an excuse to undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, nor should it support or condone the Philippines’ actions of infringement,” Wang told Sullivan, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Sullivan landed in the Chinese capital on Tuesday for a three-day trip, saying on arrival he looked forward to “a very productive round of conversations” with Wang.

Washington’s allies Japan and the Philippines have blamed China in the past week for raising regional tensions, with Tokyo accusing Beijing of violating its airspace and Manila calling it the “biggest disruptor” of peace in Southeast Asia.

China, through its embassy in Manila, also filed a diplomatic protest against the Japanese Embassy for “unwarranted accusations.” “We have taken note of the Japanese ambassador’s irresponsible remarks and have issued a diplomatic note of protest to the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines,” the Chinese Embassy said.

“Whenever incidents occur in the South China Sea, the Japanese Ambassador always does not fail to give instant high profile responses. Those were responses in ignorance of the facts and contained unwarranted accusations against China,” it added. —WITH A REPORT FROM AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE AND JACOB LAZARO