PCG: China practices doublespeak regarding maritime actions

MANILA, Philippines — By saying one thing at official meetings and doing another in Philippine territorial waters, China has exposed its true self as a “bully and untrustworthy,” Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela said yesterday.

“The Philippine Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard had an annual Joint Coast Guard Committee (JCGC) meeting during the time of the previous administration, but the People’s Republic of China says one thing at the meeting and does another at sea, which is a clear indication that they are bully and untrustworthy,” Tarriela said on X, in response to an article in the Global Times, China’s English language newspaper.

Tarriela is also the PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea.

The JCGC, established during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was intended to strengthen maritime cooperation between the Philippines and China by opening communication lines.

The Global Times article was titled “Chinese Foreign Minister urges countries outside the region not to stir up trouble in the South China Sea.”

The article quoted Ding Duo, deputy director at the Research Center for Ocean Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, as saying that the Philippines had abused China’s goodwill and distorted maritime laws.

Ding claimed China and the Philippines used to maintain communications on the South China Sea issue, but the Philippines later reneged on its word and did things differently at sea.

He even reported that China had provided temporary arrangements for supply mission for troops on the BRP Sierra Madre.

China, he added, had also allowed Filipino fishermen to ply their trade in Panatag Shoal under certain conditions.

Tensions have risen in the past weeks in the West Philippine Sea as Chinese coast guard and militia vessels continue to harass Filipino fishermen and PCG vessels.

Last week, the Chinese again attempted to stop a resupply mission to the Sierra Madre, including by blasting resupply boats with water cannons.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., meanwhile, expressed appreciation for the results of the OCTA Research survey conducted last December showing seven of every 10 Filipinos willing to fight to defend the country.

In a statement, Brawner said there are many ways for Filipinos to show this willingness to fight for the country, including by joining the Reserve Corps or taking the Reserve Officers Training Course, or by exposing the illegal and coercive acts of hostile nations.

“Individuals or organizations may also contribute resources to our overall defensive campaign, such as ships, airplanes. Our people may help by informing our friends around the world and echoing our call against the illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive tactics that other countries are doing against our country, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” Brawner said.

Filipinos may also make themselves competent in their professions that may become useful or even vital in case of emergencies, such as in the medical field or in engineering.

“The ways by which we can help defend our country, other than fighting, are only bound by our imagination. Let us take the result of the survey as a call to action and prepare for when we are called upon by the government to defend the State,” he added.

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, meanwhile, said the OCTA survey results only showed that Filipinos were “sick and tired” of Chinese intimidation.

“In my view, many of our countrymen are already angry at China because of what they have repeatedly been doing, like shooing away our fishermen and our Philippine Coast Guard sailors in the WPS,” Barbers said.

He said Filipinos should be discerning enough to spot potential “Makapili” – referring to the term for wartime collaborators.

Speaker Martin Romualdez also welcomed the findings.

“We are deeply moved and inspired by the overwhelming willingness of adult Filipinos to fight for our country. This unwavering commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty and protecting our people is a testament to the indomitable spirit that lies within every Filipino,” he said. — Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe