The United States has rallied behind the Philippines’ protests against provocative Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea, particularly blocking delivery of supplies to troops stationed in the disputed islands and deploying some 200 militia vessels to swarm a reef within the country’s territorial waters. “We share the Philippines’ concerns regarding the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) provocative actions interfering with Philippine sovereign rights within the Philippine exclusive economic zone near Second Thomas Shoal and massing vessels near Whitsun Reef,” US State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on June 17.

US backs PH protest vs. China vexing moves in WPS. (2022, June 19). Manila Standard, p. 2A.