Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) has asked the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to aid the Philippines in countering China’s “aggressive behavior” in the South China Sea.

The former Missouri attorney general made this request in the form of a March 5 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a copy of which Fox News shared. “I request the DoD to move quickly to support the Philippines in countering China’s aggressive behavior,” he wrote. Schmitt also expressed “serious concerns” about the “increasing volume and intensity of confrontations” instigated by Beijing in the disputed area.

According to Schmitt’s letter, the March 5 confrontation between Chinese and Philippine naval forces in the Second Thomas Shoal occurred after a “string of aggressive efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to assert its unlawful territorial claims in the South China Sea.” During the aforementioned incident, Chinese vessels fired water cannons at a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) supply boat, injuring four crew members.

The senator also requested that the Defense Department provide Congress with “a comprehensive plan” on how Washington can help Manila counteract Beijing’s “unlawful actions in the region. He mentioned: “The Biden administration has upheld the Trump administration’s position that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty.” (Related: U.S. vows to defend the Philippines amid China’s bold incursions.)

Meanwhile, the Philippine South China Sea Task Force confirmed the incident. It said two Chinese vessels fired their water cannons at the PCG supply boat, breaking the vessel’s windshield. Prior to this, a Chinese Coast Guard ship carried out “dangerous blocking maneuvers,” leading to a minor collision that created “superficial structural damage” to the PCG vessel’s hull.

The task force denounced the “unprovoked acts of coercion” and “dangerous maneuvers” by the Chinese ships,” adding that this puts “the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue and lessening of tensions” into question. “Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” it emphasized.

Other U.S. officials also denounce Beijing’s aggression against Manila

Matthew Miller, spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, reiterated in a statement that Washington stands with its ally Manila and condemns China’s “provocative actions” in the disputed South China Sea. He remarked that Beijing’s actions “show disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos and international law.”

DoD spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder agreed with Miller, noting that China’s actions “demonstrated disregard for international law.” He continued: “The U.S. is going to continue to stand by our Philippine ally and our commitment to our defense treaty is ironclad.”

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it had summoned China’s deputy chief of mission in Manila Zhou Zhiyong. The DFA has protested the actions of Beijing and demanded that Chinese ships immediately vacate the Second Thomas Shoal.

In contrast, the CCP blamed Manila for the incident. It accused Philippine ships of illegally trespassing into waters close to the shoal, prompting it to take control measures.

China calls the shoal Renai Reef, while the Philippines calls it Ayungin Shoal after the silver perch (Leiopotherapon plumbeus). It is located about 105 nautical miles from the western Philippine province of Palawan, making it part of the nation’s jurisdiction. But Beijing has insisted on territorial claims over almost the entire South China Sea, including reefs and islands that extend with the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Follow NationalSecurity.news for more news about China’s intrusions in the South China Sea.

Watch the video below about America standing with the Philippines after a recent clash with China in the South China Sea.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

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Ben Armstrong: China’s balloon launch over Taiwan is a DISTRACTION for surprise attack on America.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

FoxNews.com

State.gov

Yahoo.com

Brighteon.com