Washington: Voicing concerns over China’s activities in the South China Sea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday reaffirmed U.S. support for the Philippines, describing Manila as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific amid growing regional tensions.
Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said he had raised concerns about Chinese actions near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in multiple engagements with Chinese officials and warned against efforts to alter the status quo.
“We’re very concerned about recent activity, once again, near Scarborough,” Rubio said. He added that the issue had been raised during his first meeting with Chinese officials and in subsequent diplomatic exchanges.
Rubio’s remarks came during an exchange with Senator Bill Hagerty, who highlighted the Philippines’ strategic importance due to its location along key maritime trade routes in the Indo-Pacific.
The secretary described the Philippines as “a critical partner” and pointed to expanding defence and economic cooperation between Washington and Manila.
“I spoke to President Marcos on Sunday,” Rubio told lawmakers, referring to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He said the two countries were working together on defence cooperation, military interoperability, technology development, and economic diversification.
Rubio cited a new agreement involving a former U.S. military facility in the Philippines that will support joint activities in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.
He also highlighted ongoing military cooperation, including joint exercises and defence commitments designed to strengthen deterrence in the region.
The secretary’s comments underscored the Trump administration’s growing focus on the Indo-Pacific amid intensifying strategic competition with China.
Rubio warned that Beijing continues to exert pressure on countries across the region and expressed concern about efforts to negotiate a South China Sea code of conduct that could legitimise Chinese territorial claims.
“A bad code of conduct agreement is worse than no code of conduct agreement at all,” Rubio said.
He argued that any regional agreement must avoid creating precedents that undermine freedom of navigation or weaken the position of U.S. allies and partners.
The comments came as lawmakers questioned Rubio about broader U.S.-China relations.
Earlier in the hearing, the secretary said that Washington and Beijing must maintain channels of communication despite deep disagreements over security, trade, and technology.
He described competition with China as a long-term challenge that would likely continue for years.
At the same time, Rubio suggested China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea remained one of the most sensitive issues in the bilateral relationship.
The Philippines has become an increasingly important U.S. security partner in recent years as confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have intensified in disputed waters. Scarborough Shoal, one of the region’s most contested maritime features, has been a recurring source of friction between Beijing and Manila.
(IANS)
