U.S. Senators Urge Action to Assist Philippines Amid Tensions in the South China Sea
Two senior Republican U.S. senators, Roger Wicker and Jim Risch, have called on President Joe Biden to provide a comprehensive list of military, diplomatic, and economic options developed by the Pentagon and State Department to assist the Philippines in the ongoing standoff with Beijing over the contested Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
The region has seen escalating tensions due to disputes surrounding the shoal, where the Philippines maintains a grounded warship manned by a small crew as part of its territorial claims. Manila regularly conducts supply missions to support the troops stationed there.
The situation turned violent on June 17, 2024, when a Filipino sailor lost a finger in a clash with a Chinese coast guard vessel, which Manila described as an “intentional-high speed ramming.” The United States is bound by a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, which mandates American support if the Philippines faces an armed attack in the area.
In a letter sent to Biden on July 12, Wicker and Risch emphasized the need for visible demonstrations of U.S. support for the Philippines, warning that failing to act could signal unwillingness to honor the bilateral commitments. The senators urged the administration to provide a range of options to counter China’s increasing aggression in the region, stressing that verbal reassurances alone would not be sufficient to deter further escalation.
The Philippines has not yet formally requested U.S. support in resupplying its troops, though it is receiving limited intelligence assistance from the U.S. The South China Sea remains a critical flashpoint for global trade and continues to strain U.S.-China relations.
