‘China actions damaging, dangerous, destabilizing’

MANILA, Philippines — China should stop its “damaging and dangerous” actions in the West Philippine Sea that are “destabilizing” peace and stability in the entire region, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

In a televised public briefing, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza also questioned the “lack of congruence” between Beijing’s pronouncements and its actions.

“What we’re seeing at this point in time (is) the lack of congruence between what is actually being said, what is being announced and what is happening on the ground on the seas,” she said. “There has to be some congruence so that relations can actually move forward.”

“We are calling on China to desist and restrain from this action because this is not only damaging, dangerous... it is also destabilizing in terms of stability and peace in the region,” Daza said.

President Marcos has expressed “serious concern” over the increasing frequency and intensity of Beijing’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, the latest of which was the Chinese coast guard’s use of a powerful laser to harass a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in Ayungin Shoal on Feb. 6, she pointed out.

“The incident, no less than the President has called attention, serious concern about the increasing frequency and intensity of actions that are happening in West Philippine Sea,” she said.

Daza stressed the DFA is standing by the PCG’s account, which she said has been assessed and verified.

“We have no reason to doubt the PCG and the PCG has actually submitted its incident report,” she said.

“We stand by the report of the PCG on this and we call on China... that we want to engage with China, the engagement should be based on fact and based on goodwill,” the official added.

The DFA has filed a diplomatic protest against China over its coast guard’s “shadowing, harassment, dangerous maneuvers, directing of military-grade laser and illegal radio challenges by CCG vessel 5205 against PCG vessel BRP Malapascua on Feb. 6, 2023.”

According to Daza, the Chinese government used on Feb. 14 the direct communication mechanism the two countries agreed upon in January for handling West Philippine Sea issues.

“So on Feb. 14, China called…10:38 if I’m not mistaken, they used that direct mechanism and as expected they narrated their position. And on our side, we also narrated what happened and how we were actually… how we consider the incident as aggressive and also as threatening; and also, we hope that this does not actually continue,” she said.

The establishment of a communication mechanism on maritime issues between the DFA and the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China was among the 14 bilateral deals signed between the two countries during Marcos’ state visit to Beijing from Jan. 3 to 5 this year.

Marcos had said the joint direct communication mechanism between the governments of China and the Philippines was aimed at avoiding incidents in the West Philippine Sea.

The President, in an interview late January, said the Philippine government had already used the mechanism he proposed with China for open communication following reports of the Chinese Coast Guard driving away Filipino fishing boats from Ayungin Shoal.

While the Marcos administration’s foreign policy remains to be “friends to all and enemies to none,” Daza stressed this should not compromise the country’s interest.

“We want to be friends… but this should be actually based and should not in any way sacrifice the national interest,” she said.

Daza also called on China to take “concrete actions” on the numerous diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines in connection with its aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

“Hopefully, there will be concrete action that will be taken on the different calls and protests that have actually been sent already by the country to China,” she said.

This developed as the PCG announced the deployment of one of its biggest vessels to the vicinity of the Kalayaan Island Group.

In a statement, the PCG said crew members of the BRP Teresa Magbanua have instructed Filipino fishermen to report immediately any incident of harassment or intimidation by foreign vessels to the coast guard or the military.

Vietnamese in Recto Bank

The PCG also reported encountering a Vietnamese-flagged fishing vessel on Feb. 9 in the vicinity of Recto (Reed) Bank engaging in “long-line fishing operations.”

The Magbanua crew issued radio challenges and directed the foreign fishing vessel to leave.

The Vietnamese left Recto Bank when the PCG began deploying inflatable boats in preparation for boarding the foreign vessel.

“As the PCG steadily strengthens and increases its maritime patrol, search and rescue and law enforcement operations in the WPS, it remains firmly committed to safeguarding Philippine interests and rights within the bounds of international law and conventions,” the PCG said.

Condemnation of the Ayungin Shoal incident, meanwhile, continues – the latest of which came from various groups including educational institutions in Palawan, Pangasinan and Bicol.

In a joint statement, the groups said that under international law and the 2016 arbitral award that invalidated China’s massive maritime claims, only the Philippines has the right to exploit its natural resources within its exclusive economic zone.

“Our Philippine laws and the 2016 Arbitral Award affirm that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippines can exclusively exploit the natural resources, including the oil and gas, in the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea without interference from any other coastal state,” they stated in a position paper.

“We likewise assert that our Filipino fishers have the sovereign right to fish in the said area and the right to have a decent work. China’s continuing activities pose a threat to our food security and adversely affect the robust marine biodiversity in the area, which is the lifeblood of the Philippines’ economic activities,” the joint paper added.

The groups are Tanggol Kalikasan Inc.-Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Institute for Environmental Governance of Bicol State University, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Pangasinan State University, Palawan State University, Western Philippine University, IMPL Project Kalayaan-Palawan, Fisherman/Farmers Association, Port Barton Maritime Park Council, Tugon Kabuhayan and Worldwide Fund Philippines.

‘Cowardice’

Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), for its part, said it is against a military-to-military cooperation between the Philippines and China, which Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian claimed he discussed with Armed Forces chief Gen. Andres Centino during their meeting at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday.

“We fear that the proposed military-to-military exchange will be more disadvantageous to Filipino fishers who might get completely left high and dry by the AFP because of their cowardice and desire to avoid Chinese aggression,” Pamalakaya national spokesman Ronnel Arambulo said.

Pamalakaya slammed Centino over his “timid behavior” during the meeting, supposedly making the AFP appear like a “toothless tiger that is incapable of defending its own territory.”

“The AFP has demonstrated a disgraceful obedience towards a Chinese official amid the recent harassment of Chinese Coast Guard against the Filipinos in our very own territory,” Arambulo said.

“In the said meeting between the two officials, it seemed that General Centino allowed Ambassador Huang to dominate the negotiation,” he said.

Arambulo said it was “an insult and a slap on the face” of Centino that it was the Chinese ambassador who identified the supposed ways to achieve the “peace and stability in the region,” despite China’s brazen takeover of areas within Philippine jurisdiction.

“We need to know how the AFP chief responded to China’s proposed military-to-military exchange and cooperation for the resolution of the sea row. Is this equivalent to AFP’s complete silence and cowardice in the face of the rampant presence of Chinese vessels and warships in the West Philippine Sea?” Arambulo said.

“We remind Centino, as well as the entire AFP, that it is in its mandate to defend our sovereignty and national territorial integrity at all times,” he added. – Elizabeth Marcelo, Robertzon Ramirez, Michelle Zoleta