MANILA, Philippines — The top diplomats of the Philippines and the United States discussed Washington's latest policy declaration on maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
The US Department of State said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked about the recent change in US policy in a call.
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The two foreign ministers also discussed "US support for Southeast Asian coastal states upholding their sovereign rights and interests consistent with international law, and opprtunities for further US-Philippine maritime cooperation."
"The two secretaries also discussed the strong economic, security, and people-to-people ties that bind our two countries," the US Department of State said in a readout.
Pompeo, in a tweet, described his conversation with Locsin as a "good call" as they talked about shared interests in the South China Sea.
The US top diplomat said the alliance between the two countries is vital to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Last month, Pompeo declared Washington's policy shift in the South China Sea, expressing support for Southeast Asian nations.
Challenging China's excessive claims in the South China Sea, Pompeo said Beijing's claims in the area are "completely unlawful."
"The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire," Pompeo said.
The latest US policy affirmed the Philippines' July 2016 arbitral award, which invalidated China's mythical nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing, on the other hand, rejected Washington's "exaggeration" of the situation in the South China Sea, accusing Pompeo of "distorting" facts and international law.
"Under the pretext of preserving stability, it is flexing muscles, stirring up tension and inciting confrontation in the region. Under the pretext of endorsing rules, it is using UNCLOS to attack China while refusing to ratify the Convention itself," the Chinese Embassy in the US said in a statement.
Following these developments, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippine Navy not to participate in joint naval exercises with other countries in the South China Sea.
Naval powers, such as the US, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, India and Japan, have been holding joint maritime drills in the contested waterway.
Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed that Duterte gave the directive not to join maritime exercises in the South China Sea to avoid raising tensions.
"President Rodrigo Duterte has a standing order to us, to me, that we should not involve ourselves in naval exercises in the South China Sea except our national waters, the 12 mile distance from our shores," Lorenzana said.