From Manila, the Philippine government recently released information that about 220 Chinese fishing boats were confirmed to have gathered around coral reefs in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea in the first half of this month. The Philippine government believes this is a Chinese “maritime militia” deploying fishing boats, and continues to be concerned about their movements.
According to a Philippine government release on March 20, a large number of fishing boats were confirmed to be anchored in the waters around the coral reef about 175 nautical miles (about 324 kilometers) west of Palawan Island in the west of the country on March 7. The Philippine government has determined that the area falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The vessels allegedly do not operate even on sunny days and light up at night with white lights. The act is considered to be a declaration of sovereignty.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. told reporters on Twitter when asked if he would file a diplomatic protest against the buildup of the ships, “Only if the generals tell me. In my opinion, foreign policy is the fist in the gauntlet of the armed forces.”
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said via Facebook on 21 May, “We note with grave concern the presence of 220 Chinese civilian vessels on Julian Felipe Reef (Bull Yoke Reef) in the West Philippine Sea. This is a clear provocative action to militarize the area. These are territories located within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf (CS), to which Filipinos have sole resource rights under international law and the 2016 arbitration award.”
According to Lorenzana, “We call on the Chinese side to stop this intrusion and immediately recall these vessels that are violating our maritime rights and encroaching on our sovereign territories. We are committed to upholding our sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. We are coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard, the West Philippine Sea Country Task Force and the Department of Foreign Affairs to take appropriate action in the interest of protecting the welfare of Filipino fishermen, protecting our marine resources, and maintaining peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea.”
The Philippine government’s West Philippine Sea National Task Force has expressed concern about overfishing and damage to the marine environment, as well as navigational safety risks. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a reporter’s request for comment Sunday.
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