Manila, Oct. 14 -- The United States government has condemned China's ramming and water cannoning of Philippine vessels near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement Tuesday, US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott reaffirmed Washington, DC's commitments to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and reiterated that its coverage extends to armed attacks on any Philippine vessel, including the Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea.

"We stand with our Philippine allies as they confront China's dangerous actions, which undermine regional stability," he said.

"China's sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea and its increasingly coercive actions to advance them at the e...