On Tuesday, United States Vice President Kamala Harris during her three-day trip to its ally in Asia visited the Philippines island of Palawan in the South China Sea amid growing Chinese influence in the region. The VP’s visit is marked by her being the highest-ranking US official to visit the western Philippine island.
Palawan is also the closest Philippine landmass to the Spratly archipelago and has been repeatedly contested by China in the region. This comes a day after she also affirmed the US’ “unwavering” commitment to its former colony in the event of an attack during her meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Philippine presidential palace in Manila. While Marcos Jr. said the ties between the two countries have become important given what he calls “upheavals” in the region.
According to the local media, she landed at the Puerto Princesa International Airport and will subsequently visit the coastal community at Barangay Tagburos of around 1,500 residents which was identified as a “climate change-affected area”. Following her visit to Tagburos, she will also meet the Philippine Coast Guard officials on the multi-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua, reported the Palawan news.
Harris will also deliver a speech before the Philippines’ police, coast guard, military and government officials and highlight the importance of international law, unhindered trade and navigation freedom in the South China Sea, said spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo had said earlier.
Palawan is just 320 km (200 miles) from the Spratly archipelago, parts of which are reportedly being used by China to build harbours and airstrips while countries like Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have also claimed ownership or parts of this island.
Furthermore, Beijing claims that the entire South China Sea is a part of its country which is supposedly home to massive oil and gas deposits and the route of billions of dollars worth of trade every year. As reported by WION earlier, Beijing has long claimed some of the territories off the coast of Palawan and much of that sea is China’s citing historical maps which were rejected in 2016 by an international arbitration saying that it does not have any legal basis and ruled in Philippines’ favour.
(With inputs from agencies)
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