U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell raised concerns about China’s “destabilizing actions in the South China Sea” with the country’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu during a call on Thursday, the State Department said.
“The Deputy Secretary also reiterated that U.S. commitments to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty remain ironclad,” the readout said.
READ: US reiterates ‘ironclad’ commitment to Philippines amid China actions in South China Sea
—Reporting by Eric Beech and Costas Pitas