For the second day in a row, senior Philippine officials have told the Chinese Communist Party that the Philippines will continue to defend its rights in the economic waters and stressed that the Philippines will continue to conduct exercises in the waters and ask Chinese vessels to leave.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Sunday (May 2) that the Philippines will continue to conduct drills in the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea despite China’s request not to conduct maritime exercises, Reuters reported.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Water Resources (BFAR) launched drills in the South China Sea last month and have stepped up patrols to counter the threat from Chinese vessels.
Despite a 2016 ruling by the Hague Arbitration Tribunal that the Chinese Communist Party’s claims are inconsistent with international law, the Communist Party maintains that China owns almost the entire South China Sea.
The South China Sea is one of the most important seas in the world, with more than $3 trillion worth of goods that need to pass through these waters every year. In addition, the South China Sea is rich in oil and natural gas, involving the interests of many neighboring countries.
Lorenzana said, “The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Water Resources, will continue to conduct maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the (Philippine-occupied) Kalayaan Islands (Spratly Islands).”
He said the Philippine government’s position will not waver.
The West Philippine Sea is the sea area over which the Philippines claims partial sovereignty in the South China Sea, roughly equivalent to the extent of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
The recent presence of hundreds of Chinese vessels in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone has caused tension between the two countries. The Chinese Communist Party argued that the hundreds of vessels were just “taking shelter” from the storm.
In response, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin tweeted Monday (link here) asking the Chinese ships to leave.
Locsin, who has always been outspoken, tweeted, “China, my friend, how do you say it politely? Let’s see… whoops… get the hell out of here.”
Losin went on to accuse the Chinese move of damaging relations between the two countries.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Monday (May 3) stating that the Chinese coast guard “followed, blocked, acted dangerously and radio provoked” Philippine Coast Guard vessels.
Philippine officials believe that the Chinese vessels, which are in Philippine economic waters, are operated by militias.
According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines has lodged 78 diplomatic protests with China since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in 2016.
In April, the Philippine presidency warned that the incursion of hundreds of Chinese vessels into nearby waters could lead to “hostile acts” and stressed that Philippine sovereignty is non-negotiable and that not a single inch of its territory and exclusive economic waters will be relinquished. This is the strongest statement that Duterte, who has always been reluctant to confront the Chinese Communist Party, has ever made about its actions in the South China Sea.
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