Chinese buildup in South China Sea: Aquino hits back at Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — An administration that had officially protested China’s maritime bullying and challenged its massive territorial claim before an international court cannot be blamed for Beijing’s unfettered military buildup in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, former president Benigno Aquino III said yesterday.

He made the pronouncement at a press conference to rebut President Duterte’s claim that the previous administration was to blame for China’s militarization of areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The President had also claimed China’s island-building activities began during his predecessor’s administration and that the latter did not lift a finger to stop it.

“Who filed the arbitration (case against China)? Who campaigned among ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members? Which administration produced communiqué or statements critical of all those island developing by China?” Aquino stressed, pointing out that it was his administration that fought China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea.

“From the beginning, we only had Vietnam on our side but that didn’t stop us from securing a joint statement,” Aquino recalled.

Stressing he did not want to offer unsolicited advice to Duterte, Aquino said he believed China violated the 2002 Declaration of Conduct in South China Sea with its recent actions, particularly its deployment of missile system in three reefs in the Spratlys.

“Whatever angle you look at it, there really seems a violation (of the declaration). If I were in their place, I’d ask if sections 4 and 5 of the agreement signed by China with the entirety of ASEAN are no longer valid,” Aquino said.

He was referring to provisions requiring parties to resolve conflicts “by peaceful means without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations with universally recognized principles including UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea).”

The agreement also binds parties “to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes” as well as “refrain from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shores and other features.”

Aquino explained that the agreement between China and ASEAN remains binding to the parties despite other considerations, including Duterte’s much touted economic benefits derived from his non-confrontational approach in dealing with the maritime dispute.

“China is a big economy and we have a lot of favors from them and our good relationship with China is at stake. But regardless of that, there was a statement and we don’t know if the other ASEAN countries would still support us eventually if we don’t honor it,” he pointed out.

Aquino also cited the country’s victory in its case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in July 2016. The ruling by the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague invalidated China’s massive nine-dash line claim and affirmed the Philippines’ maritime entitlements. Beijing had vowed not to comply with the ruling.

Aquino reminded Duterte that the PCA ruling came out when the latter was already president.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said they were working “double time” to upgrade the country’s military, admitting it is currently not capable of defending its territories, including the West Philippine Sea.

“At present, we don’t have any capabilities to even just demonstrate to others that we are capable because we are not capable,” Lorenzana said in an interview with ANC. – With Michael Punongbayan

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