China has reiterated that the United States is not a party to the South China Sea dispute, warning that external interference will only exacerbate regional instability. The statement followed a telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., during which Trump offered to raise Manila's maritime concerns directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming bilateral meeting.
Responding to inquiries regarding the diplomatic exchange, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Beijing had taken note of the reports while cautioning Manila against relying on outside powers. Lin emphasized that attempts to stage provocations with the assistance of non-regional countries would ultimately result in being used as a tool by foreign interests, asserting that such actions carry self-defeating consequences. Acting Philippine presidential spokesperson Dave Gomez noted that Trump promised to raise the South China Sea situation with Xi during an expected meeting between the leaders.
The diplomatic exchange occurred alongside fresh maritime friction between Beijing and Manila near disputed features in the strategic waterway. Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela reported that a China Coast Guard vessel deployed a water cannon against a Filipino vessel conducting a maritime patrol approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of Scarborough Shoal. Tarriela confirmed that crew members from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources aboard the vessels remained safe while condemning the actions.
Conversely, the China Coast Guard maintained that it deployed necessary control measures to drive away Philippine vessels that had unlawfully entered Chinese territorial waters near the shoal. State media reported that the China Coast Guard vowed to remain resolute in safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the region. The incident marks the second high-seas standoff between the two nations within a two-day span, reflecting ongoing volatility across key trade routes in the South China Sea.
