THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday said China’s behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea has improved, except at the Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese remain to be “very aggressive” against PCG vessels.
The change in Chinese behavior may have been due to the PCG’s decision in February to publicize cases of Chinese harassment and incursion in the area, said Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the WPS.
“What is happening in Ayungin Shoal is different from (other areas in West Philippine Sea),” he said in a TV interview.
Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal is inside the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
It is about 108 nautical miles northwest of Rizal in Palawan, or 170 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Princesa City, also in Palawan. Filipino troops are occupying the shoal, and staying at BRP Sierra Madre which the military grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as an outpost.
Last Friday, two Chinese Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese maritime militia ships blocked the path of two PCG vessels escorting two Filipino civilian boats delivering supplies to the troops stationed at Ayungin Shoal. The two PCG vessels — BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo — had to reduce speed to prevent collision during the “dangerous maneuvers” of the Chinese Coast Guard vessels.
There were similar incidents this year near the Ayungin Shoal. In February, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel pointed a military-grade laser at BRP Malapascua, causing temporary blindness of the crew members. The PCG vessel was also then escorting a boat delivering supplies to troops at the shoal.
Last April, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel cut the path of BRP Malapascua near the shoal during a routine patrol, causing a near collision which was documented by journalists on board BRP Malapascua.
“In some features of the West Philippine Sea we can already see some of the changes of behavior of the Chinese Coast Guard,” said Tarriela.
Before the PCG’s decision to publicize cases of Chinese harassment and intrusion, Tarriela said the Chinese were “aggressive all over the West Philippine Sea.”
“Whenever they shadow us, they always stay alongside the Philippine Coast Guard vessels, with a very close distance. But nowadays, in other places whenever they shadow the Philippine Coast Guard, they are now tailing us,” he said,
Tarriela said the Chinese might have become conscious that their “harassment or bullying activity towards the Philippine Coast Guard vessels” are being recorded on camera.
“So, to be fair, there are already changes in behavior … as we expose their aggressive actions,” he said.
But at the Ayungin Shoal, Tarriela said China remains “very aggressive” against PCG vessels.
“Whenever we talk about Ayungin Shoal, this is the usual reaction of the Chinese government, they have always been very aggressive. They don’t hesitate to carry out dangerous maneuvers, they deploy more Chinese Coast Guard vessels there whenever there is a naval operation ongoing in Ayungin Shoal,” he said.
“When we talk about the behavior of the Chinese Coast Guard in Ayungin Shoal, it’s also entirely different how they behave in the entire West Philippine Sea,” he said.
‘RED LINE’
Tarriela declined to comment when asked why the Chinese are behaving differently at the shoal although he noted earlier remarks from the Chinese foreign ministry that Ayungin Shoal is a “red line,” or critical spot, to them.
“It’s not just me mentioning this but even the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs, they have always mentioned that there is a red line in Ayungin Shoal and they would always be aggressive in deploying their government assets as we try to carry out whatever naval operations or Coast Guard patrol in this area,” said Tarriela.
He said the remarks of the Chinese foreign ministry are probably the reason the Chinese Coast Guard vessels are “more aggressive” in their actions at the Ayungin Shoal.
Asked why the Chinese are treating Ayungin Shoal differently compared to other areas in West Philippine Sea, Tarriela said it is China that should say “why it is a red line for them.”
Asked for his assessment, he said, “I’m not in proper authority to disclose whatever the understanding we have as to why they call it a red line.”
Pressed for an answer, he said, “Anything that I would say especially in defining the red line will just be speculative and it will just be my opinion.”
He said the question can be best answered by other government agencies, and not by the Philippine Coast Guard.
For now, Tarriela, said the “only solution” that the PCG adopts during Chinese harassment incidents is to document the cases and report them to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
“From that interagency cooperation… we can come up with whatever diplomatic action or any policy recommendation that we can give to the President,” said Tarriela.
COURTESY CALL
Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian paid a courtesy call on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro at Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday.
Asked if the latest incident at the Ayungin Shoal was discussed during the meeting, DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong said, “Unfortunately, I was not in the meeting so I don’t know…I don’t know for a fact if that was discussed.”
A statement released by Andolong’s office said Teodoro and Huang “highlighted the enhancement of defense relations through the implementation of existing bilateral mechanisms, and dialogue platforms, such as the Philippines-China Annual Defense and Security Talks, which China is set to host.”
“Secretary Teodoro emphasized the need to sustainably develop institutions through a bottom-up approach and follow through in effectively implementing existing mechanisms,” the statement added.
Teodoro lauded China “for its vision of a powerful nation, which he likened to the capability upgrade of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.”
“In the same breath, Secretary Teodoro underscored that a strong AFP will serve as the ‘bedrock’ for regional stability and resiliency in the force of external threats, and emphasized that the Philippines’ defense capability building efforts will always be in line with the Philippines’ national interests,” the statement added.
