(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines did not enter into an agreement with China to pull out its ship from a South China Sea flashpoint, Manila’s top diplomat said Thursday.
“There was no deal,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told reporters. It’s a “coincidence” that the Philippine vessel was withdrawn days after talks between Manila and Beijing, he added.
The Philippines on Sunday said one of its coast guard’s biggest ships — the BRP Teresa Magbanua — “was compelled to return to port” from a five-month mission in the Sabina Shoal due to bad weather, depleted supplies and evacuation of personnel requiring medical care.
Sabina Shoal has emerged as a hot spot in the maritime dispute between China and the Philippines, a key US ally. Beijing and Manila have pledged to keep asserting claims to the area.
Read: Why China Keeps Ramming Philippine Ships and Where That’s Headed
The Philippines may join a possible meeting on maritime security on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly being organized by other countries, Manalo also said Thursday.
“We are very much involved in the need for security and promoting a region of stability especially in the West Philippine Sea and other areas,” the foreign minister said, using the Philippines’ name for the portion of the South China Sea that it claims.
Tensions between Philippines and China have escalated over their competing maritime claims. Manila has frequently protested the ramming of its ships by the Chinese coast guard in the disputed waters. Beijing, which lays sweeping claims over the waterway, has said its actions were lawful.
(Adds more comments from Philippine official.)
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