{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2023/10/wicker-risch-rubio-press-biden-for-decisive-response-to-chinese-aggression-in-south-china-sea", "Wicker, Risch, Rubio Press Biden for Decisive Response to Chinese Aggression in South China Sea", "2023-10-26", "2023", "2023-10", "Republican", "Senate", "MS", "Roger F. Wicker", "W000437", "www.wicker.senate.gov", "wicker", "https://www.wicker.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2013 U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, yesterday joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence vice chairman Marco Rubio, R-Fla., on a letter to President Biden urging support for the Philippines following repeated aggressive incidents from Chinese maritime assets in the South China Sea.\n\nIn the letter, the Senators recount actions beginning in August from the People\u2019s Republic Coast Guard and maritime militia intended to interrupt Philippine resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre, a ship grounded on a reef in the area and manned by Philippine sailors. China\u2019s Coast Guard and maritime militia have fired water cannons and threatened to ram supply ships in an attempt to stave off replenishment of the vessel.\n\n\u201cChina is on the verge of willfully triggering a humanitarian crisis by blocking the resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre. Its actions will eventually starve Filipino sailors on the vessel. China\u2019s main purpose, of course, is to force the Philippines to abandon Second Thomas Shoal and take de facto control of this territorial feature,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cDoing so would expand further its unlawful maritime claims \u2013 just as Beijing did with Scarborough Shoal over a decade ago. Each new claim of maritime sovereignty gives China another platform to hold allied territory (and U.S. military assets) at greater risk.\u201d\n\nThe Senators asked President Biden to outline a full list of plans to support the Philippine mission on the Sierra Madre \u2013 including defense and non-defense related options \u2013 while also pressing Biden to signal resolve in the face of Chinese aggression. Failing to do so, the senators argued, would enable even further malign action.\n\n\u201cYour administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces \u2013 including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea \u2013 would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments... China\u2019s actions are testing the credibility and value of these commitments, and we must respond with strength,\u201d the senators wrote. \u201cWe request your administration provide us with a full list of plans, branches, and sequels or other diplomatic or non-defense options developed by the Departments of State and Defense to support the Philippines and ensure the resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here or below.\n\nOctober 25, 2023\n\nPresident Joseph R. Biden\n\nThe White House\n\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\n\nWashington, D.C.\n\nDear President Biden,\n\nWe write to express our grave concern regarding the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s (PRC) hostile and unlawful actions in the South China Sea, particularly against the Philippines, and to request your administration move quickly to support the Philippines in countering China\u2019s aggressive behavior.\n\nOn October 22, the Philippines attempted to resupply the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine vessel grounded on a reef in the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The PRC\u2019s Coast Guard and maritime militia\u2014 once again\u2014obstructed this mission by intentionally interfering with the Philippine vessels\u2019 exercise of high seas freedom of navigation. This flagrant conduct jeopardized the lives of Filipino crew members and impeded critically needed supplies from reaching service members stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre.\n\nChina is on the verge of willfully triggering a humanitarian crisis by blocking the resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre. Its actions will eventually starve Filipino sailors on the vessel. China\u2019s main purpose, of course, is to force the Philippines to abandon Second Thomas Shoal and take de facto control of this territorial feature. Doing so would expand further its unlawful maritime claims \u2013 just as Beijing did with Scarborough Shoal over a decade ago. Each new claim of maritime sovereignty gives China another platform to hold allied territory (and U.S. military assets) at greater risk.\n\nYour administration has repeatedly stated that an attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft, and armed forces \u2013 including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea \u2013 would invoke the U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. China\u2019s actions are testing the credibility and value of these commitments, and we must respond with strength. We request your administration provide us with a full list of plans, branches, and sequels or other diplomatic or non-defense options developed by the Departments of State and Defense to support the Philippines and ensure the resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre.\n\nWe look forward to your response and working with your administration to ensure that the Philippines can successfully resupply its sailors and fend off PRC encroachment into its sovereign territory.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.wicker.senate.gov/2023/10/wicker-risch-rubio-press-biden-for-decisive-response-to-chinese-aggression-in-south-china-sea"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.105775125324726, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}