No plan of permanent presence? Move ships out of West Philippine Sea, Locsin tells China
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' top diplomat once again asked China to pull out its vessels in Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef after Beijing said it does not intend to maintain a permanent presence in the area.
China's foreign ministry maintained its position that the vessels spotted in the coral reef off the coast of Bataraza, Palawan were just fishing vessels and not maritime militia.
"Then tell them to move out. All of them. If they're really fishing the fish are all gone; they're just fouling the water with waste. Nobody fishes by lashing ships together," Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted Wednesday night.
Then tell them to move out. All of them. If they’re really fishing the fish are all gone; they’re just fouling the water with waste. Nobody fishes by lashing ships together. Last time that was done was the Persian invasion of Greece recorded by Herodotus. We’ve seen the movie. https://t.co/2H121qMIlf
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) April 7, 2021
On Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs started filing daily diplomatic protests against the continued presence of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.
The DFA earlier said the Philippines will lodge a diplomatic protest "for every day of delay."
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea initially confirmed that 220 Chinese vessels, believed to be part of China's maritime militia, were sighted moored in the waters of Julian Felipe Reef.
The DFA has since filed a diplomatic protest but Chinese vessels still remain in the area and have dispersed to other features in the West Philippine Sea.
As of March 29, 44 Chinese boats remain in Julian Felipe Reef while 115 Chinese militia ships were seen in Chigua (Kennan), 45 in Pag-asa (Thitu) Island and 50 others dispersed in Panganiban (Mischief), Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) and Zamora (Subi) Reefs.
'Wanton hype-up'
China, meanwhile, urged the Philippines to stop its allegations and insisted that Julian Felipe Reef, which they call Niu'e Jiao, is part of its Nansha (Spratly) Islands.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused Philippine authorities of showing "malicious intent" by referring to Chinese fishermen as maritime militia.
"We hope the Philippines will look at this objectively and correctly, immediately stop wanton hype-up, and avoid casting negative influence on bilateral relations and the overall peace and stability in the South China Sea," Zhao said in a press briefing last Tuesday.
Zhao further claimed that the award in the South China Sea arbitration, which favored the Philippines, is "illegal, null and void."
Beijing said it will continue to oppose any action or claims based on the arbitral ruling that invalidated its expansive claims in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.
"The Philippines attempts to use an illegal, null and void award to negate China's sovereignty, rights and interests, negate Chinese fishermen's fishing history and rights in their traditional fishing grounds in the Nansha Islands which have been continued for as long as a thousand of years," Zhao said.
The United States Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis continues underway in the South China Sea.
The US Pacific Command just reported that it has received "cargo" from support ship USNS Rainier in the disputed waters.
#GreatGreenFleet's USS @Stennis74 receives cargo from USNS #Rainier in the #SouthChinaSea - @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/MnJWrow6Vv
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) June 10, 2016
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducts an aerial maritime inspection over Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc on Thursday, according to a report of PTV.
PTV says BFAR is checking if the southeast portion of Bajo de Mansinloc remains free from illegal and hazardous floating barriers.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Coast removed the chains surrounding the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc installed by the China Coast Guard. — PTV
The National Security Council condemns the installation of the floating barriers of the China Coast Guard in Bajo de Masinloc, PTV reports on Monday.
“It ruled categorically that such action by the PRC violated the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen in the shoal who have been fishing there for centuries," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya says.
"Any State that prevents them from doing artisanal fishing there violates UNCLOS and international law, in general,” he adds.
PTV reports that BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21.
“The joint sail is part of the Philippine Navy's regular engagements with its partners in the Philippines' maritime zones. Bravo Zulu to all the personnel of both ships and those who planned this activity," Ltc Enrico Gil Ileto, Public Affairs AFP chief says.
WATCH: BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21. (????: AFP Wescom) | via Bea Bernardo (1/2) pic.twitter.com/DmJguzJSiF
— PTVph (@PTVph) September 22, 2023
Ahead of the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcis Jr, the descendants of the Bai sa Condor and Anta sa Tebouk, on behalf of the Iranun in the Philippines composed of 16 sultans, formally declares ownership of the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoals as patrimony from their ancestors.
The declaration of ownership is led by Sultan Tomas Reyes Cabili, Jr. as part of the advocacy of the Tomas Ll. Cabili Foundation (TLC Foundation).
"TLC Foundation is doing this for our country’s sake as a whole on our claim for what is ours. Not just for our Muslim brothers and the Moro Origins of Mindanao (IRANUN), BUT for all the Filipinos - and the next generations to come. All the Philippines’ descendants of the Iranunis unfurling the historical dimension of the Spratlys and the ScarboroughShoals to strengthen the Philippines' claim on them and complement the theoretical frameworks already presented in the United Nations," Cabili says.
Raymond Powell, project lead at the Gordion Knot Center for National Security Innovation, tweets that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels "maneuvered dangerously close" to two Philippine Coast Guard ships on a resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last week.
In a tweet, Powell identifies the ships as BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua. He says these were escorting a small-boat resupply mission to the Philippines' outpost aboard BRP Sierra Madre and were met by an armada of CCG and militia ships, as well as a possible navy vessel.
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