The appearance of a United States nuclear-powered submarine near the Philippines violates a Philippine law banning nuclear weapons and is escalating the country's territorial row with China, Filipino citizens and analysts said.

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, a Filipino nationalist group also known as Bayan, said in a statement that the presence of the USS North Carolina in the country's waters may be a violation of a provision of the Philippines Constitution.

"The Philippines is de facto hosting US warships presumably armed with nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The entry of the nuclear submarine may be in contravention of the Philippines constitutional ban on nuclear weapons," Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes was quoted by Gulf News as saying.

"Article II, Section 8 of the Philippines Constitution states that the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory."

Reyes said the submarine, one of the world's most stealthy and advanced, "is directed at all countries in the region but most especially China, in order to keep China subservient to US diktats", according to GMA News.

Reyes also warned that the visit may create a "host of social and legal issues", including possible prostitution and even rape by visiting troops, GMA reported.

However, Philippines Navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay was quoted as saying that the submarines' presence in the country is part of a "routine ship replenishment" of supplies.

Lieutenant Lara Bollinger, Submarine Group 7 Public Affairs of US Navy, said the vessel's entry to Filipino territory was part of its Western Pacific deployment.

The North Carolina has a crew of 133, measures more than 107 meters long and weighs more than 7,800 tons when submerged.

"She brings to the region the capability to conduct the full spectrum of potential submarine missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, naval special warfare involving special operations forces, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and mine warfare," Bollinger added.

The US nuclear-powered submarine docked at a former US Navy base in Subic, which is just 222 km from Huangyan Island, over which both China and the Philippines claim sovereignty.

The maritime dispute over Huangyan Island blew up after a Philippine Navy ship last month accosted four Chinese vessels operating in the island's waters. China says it has held the island as part of its territory for centuries.

The visit of the nuclear-powered vessel is a strategic threat to China rather than a concrete tactic, said Xu Liping, an expert on Asia-Pacific studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"The visit shows America's clandestine support for the Philippines on the issue, despite the US saying it takes no stance on territorial claims," Xu said.

"What the US does is more important than what it says. China should be alert to the issue."

Yang Baoyun, a professor of Asian studies at Peking University, told China Daily that the vessel's visit may not be solely due to the recent tension between China the Philippines. It is also a step in Washington's "return to Asia" strategy.

"If there was no issue over Huangyan Island, the US will still increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region ... The Huangyan Island issue is accelerating Washington's pace in returning to the region."

Asia News Network contributed to this story.

zhouwa@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/18/2012 page2)