US Reacts to Confrontation Between China and Treaty Ally

The U.S. envoy to the Philippines has condemned Beijing's "aggressive actions" following a confrontation between Chinese and Philippine government vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea .

Why It Matters

China claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, a strategic conduit for an estimated one-fifth of global maritime trade. These claims overlap with those of the Philippines and several other neighboring countries .

China's ongoing expansion into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ)—and the Philippine government's pushback—have resulted in repeated and sometimes dramatic clashes near disputed maritime features, raising concerns a fatal miscalculation could trigger Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington.

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