PH files nth protest vs China
FOLLOWING a demand from the Chinese Foreign Ministry for Manila to stop its maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Philippines protested for the nth time against China and for the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague. But we must not fail to protest,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. tweeted.
On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded that Manila halt its maritime drills in the area after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) deployed eight capital ships to conduct maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea as part of efforts to secure its maritime jurisdiction in the area over the weekend.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin has said China enjoys sovereignty over Nansha Islands (Spratlys) including Zhongye Island (Thitu) and Zhongsha Islands including Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) and their adjacent waters, and exercises jurisdiction in relevant waters and urged the relevant side to respect China’s sovereignty and rights and interests, and stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes.
Locsin said that enhanced maritime drills could also provide some kind of “clarity” in the area.
“See what enhanced maritime drills on our part is achieving: clarity. Now they realize what I said is a likelihood: mutual swarming increases likelihood of mis-encounter that may trigger the MDT (Mutual Defense Treaty). Brinkmanship brings clarity. And fortitude,” he said.
In 2016, The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines when Manila questioned China’s excessive nine-dash line claims, which overlaps with Philippines EEZ.
The Philippines, since April 5 has lodged diplomatic protests against the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the WPS.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, under the Duterte Administration has so far filed 78 diplomatic protests against China.
