MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is now “firmly” calling on China to immediately put an end to its harassment and violation of Philippine sovereign rights over the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Summoning Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian last Monday through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the envoy was told that the Philippines wants China to “direct its vessels to cease and desist from its illegal actions against Philippines vessels, and to stop interfering in legitimate Philippine government activities or lingering in waters around Ayungin Shoal and doing any action that violates the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.”
The Philippine government also called on China to comply with its obligations under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 2016 Award in the South China Sea Arbitration and the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea while also adhering to its commitments under the 2002 Association of Southeast Asian Nations-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Huang was summoned to convey the strong protest of the Philippine government against the back-to-back aggressive and harassing actions by Chinese forces against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea over the weekend.
DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro verbally delivered the protest against the Chinese’s dangerous maneuvers that led to a collision, illegal shadowing and undue use of water cannons against the rotation and resupply mission undertaken by the Philippines yesterday in the Ayungin Shoal for the Philippine government detachment on BRP Sierra Madre.
The DFA said it reiterated to the Chinese ambassador that Ayungin Shoal is not an island, but a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ EEZ and continental shelf, in accordance with the UNCLOS and as upheld by the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“As such, the Philippines exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the feature. As a low-tide elevation, Ayungin Shoal can neither be the subject of a sovereignty claim nor is it capable of appropriation under international law,” the DFA added.
Lazaro also emphasized that the Philippines’ resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre are part of the regular operations of the Philippine government in line with domestic and international law.
As this developed, the governments of Australia and Canada yesterday joined other foreign nations in condemning China’s increasing aggressiveness on the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea. - Evelyn Macairan