The US cited the risk of a Philippine sailor being injured in an incident in the South China Sea

The White House on Monday condemned China for what it called “intentional high-speed ramming” by the Chinese coast guard of one of its resupply ships in the Philippines South China Sea. A Filipino sailor was seriously injured in the clash, the Philippine military said.

“We are deeply concerned about the injuries to the Philippine sailor, obviously wishing him the best for his recovery,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “This kind of behavior (by China) is provocative, it's reckless, it's unnecessary and it could lead to misunderstandings and miscalculations that could be much bigger and much more violent.”

The Philippines and China have accused each other of causing the clash, which included a Philippine navy ship delivering a small group of personnel to a grounded warship in the Second Thomas Shoal, which has long been considered a flashpoint that could lead to a major eruption. Conflict between the US and China.

The United States and the Philippines have a mutual defense treaty that obligates the two countries to help defend each other in the event of a major conflict.

On Tuesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell spoke by phone with his Philippine counterpart and both confirmed that the agreement “extends to armed attacks on the Armed Forces of the Philippines, public vessels or aircraft – including. Coast Guard – South Anywhere in the China Sea.”

Several incidents have occurred in recent months near the shoal, where a deliberately grounded Philippine naval vessel called the Sierra Madre is maintained by the Philippine military. Attacks on ships may be viewed by the Philippines as an act of war.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said after the incident on Monday that the Armed Forces of the Philippines will counter China's “dangerous and reckless behavior,” which is “contrary to their statement of good faith and decency.”

China has become increasingly assertive in its claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, sparking tensions with other claimants to the waters, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

A new Chinese law that took effect on Saturday allows China's coast guard to seize foreign vessels “illegally entering China's territorial waters” and detain foreign crews for up to 60 days, Reuters news agency reported.