The U.S. said China’s move to aim a military-grade laser light at a Philippine ship in an area claimed by both nations in the South China Sea was “provocative and unsafe” and directly threatens peace and stability in the region.
The U.S. State Department, in an emailed statement, reaffirmed that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of the coast guard in the South China Sea, would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under the two allies’ mutual defense treaty.
Manila’s coast guard on Monday reported that a Chinese coast guard ship “illuminated” a green laser light twice toward a Philippine vessel on Feb. 6 while the latter was on a resupply mission near Second Thomas Shoal, also known as Ayungin Shoal. The incident caused “temporary blindness” to the crew, it said.
