- Sweden’s Defence Chief Paul Johnson raised his voice against China’s dangerous activities in the South China Sea during a diplomatic event in Manila.
- The Philippines is considering purchasing supersonic fighter jets, with Sweden being a possible source.
- China’s actions, including the use of water cannon, have damaged Philippine ships and strained relations.
Chief of Defence of Sweden Expressing concern over Beijing’s repeated and dangerous actions against Philippine ships in the South China Sea, it said such actions threaten global security, undermine stability and underscore the need to invest “in our security and freedom.”
Defense Secretary Paul Johnson discussed expanding defense ties with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at a diplomatic reception in Manila to mark Sweden’s National Day on Thursday night. Sweden is one of the potential sources for supersonic fighter jets, which the Philippines plans to acquire as its military shifts its focus from fighting communist and Muslim insurgents for decades to territorial defense.
“I would like to express my deep concern over the repeated dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea,” Johnson said. He did not mention China in his speech but was greeted with thunderous applause from the audience, which included top Philippine military and security officials and Western and Asian diplomats.
Johnson used the name the Philippines has adopted for the exclusive economic zone stretching from its western coast into the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely and guards tightly with its coast guard, navy and other vessels.
Sweden’s Defence Minister Paul Johnson arrives for a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on October 11, 2023. Johnson has expressed concern over Beijing’s repeated threatening manoeuvres against Philippine ships in the South China Sea, saying such actions threaten global security, undermine stability and underscore the need to invest “for our security and freedom”. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)
Confrontation between Chinese and Philippine government vessels off two disputed coasts has escalated over the past year, leading to several collisions.
China’s use of powerful water cannons damaged Philippine ships, injured several Filipino navy personnel and strained diplomatic relations. Manila has lodged diplomatic protests and publicised Chinese actions against Philippine coast guard and navy vessels in an effort to garner international support.
“These acts endanger human life, they undermine regional stability and international law, and they threaten security in the region and beyond,” Johnson said. “They threaten not just your national security but our shared global security.”
Philippines warns of ‘red line’ with Beijing amid rising tensions in South China Sea
The Philippine coast guard reported late on Friday that one of its high-speed boats was surrounded and detained by Chinese coast guard vessels as it approached a Philippine territorial post at Second Thomas Shoal on May 19 to pick up a sick Filipino military sailor from a navy boat stationed near the shoal post.
The Philippine Coast Guard said, “Despite informing the Chinese Coast Guard via radio and public address system about the humanitarian nature of our medical evacuation mission, they still engaged in dangerous maneuvers and even intentionally rammed the Philippine Navy boat carrying the sick personnel.” The Philippine Coast Guard said that despite the dangerous obstructions, the medical evacuation was carried out successfully.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said in Beijing that china The Philippines may be allowed to evacuate its personnel “if the Philippine side notifies China in advance.” He did not say whether that had been done in this case, and warned against any attempt by the Philippines to permanently occupy the shoal.
Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed Chinese coast guard vessels surrounding and cornering Philippine boats, with a Filipino telling the Chinese coast guard, “We are going to give medical assistance to some personnel. We have a sick personnel on that boat.” A Chinese officer responded in Chinese, and both sides took video and photos of each other.
Earlier this week, China’s official news agency Xinhua released a video showing Philippine military personnel seizing a section of more than 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) of fishing nets cast by Chinese fishermen off the same coast.
One fisherman, standing in a small green boat with two others, shouts to the camera that the nets were “broken by the Filipinos and we couldn’t catch any fish.” The accompanying Xinhua text says more than 330 feet of nets were removed.
Philippines Armed Forces spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla denied China’s allegations. “This latest accusation is another example of China’s malign influence operations that seek to divert attention from the real issue: their ongoing illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions and activities in the West Philippine Sea,” Padilla said.
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While Sweden and Philippines Johnson said we deeply value peace, “we also understand that we get peace through strength” and underlined the strategic need to invest “in our security and our freedom”.
In addition to the Philippines, Sweden is strengthening defense ties with the United States, Japan and Australia, Johnson said, citing his country’s decision to join the NATO alliance in March, moving away from a longstanding policy of neutrality after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
He said Sweden stands firmly behind calls by the EU and other governments for restraint and full respect for international law in the South China Sea to “ensure the peaceful resolution of differences in the region and to reduce tensions.”
He said the UN Charter, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and other similar international rules aimed at protecting civilians at sea “must be respected at all times.”
