On Jun 17, a Philippine sailor was injured after what the Southeast Asian nation’s military called “intentional-high speed ramming” by the Chinese Coast Guard, an assertion China has disputed, saying the actions were lawful.
Campbell made the remarks to China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu during a telephone call on Thursday, the US State Department said.
The day before, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his Philippine counterpart, Eduardo Ano, discussed shared concerns over China’s “dangerous and escalatory actions”.
The United States reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines’ security, the White House said.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including portions claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
