BY GERARD NAVAL and VICTOR REYES
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs “mischaracterized” an agreement between Manila and Beijing on unimpeded resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed at a grounded Navy ship at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
“Instead of acknowledging how two countries were able to manage differences in order to avoid miscalculation and misunderstanding, the spokesperson chose to misrepresent what has been agreed between the Philippines and China,” said DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza, reacting to statement issued on Saturday by China’s foreign ministry, after a successful rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission that day.
Security officials, rejecting a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), said the Philippines did not ask permission from China in conducting the RoRe mission, and will never do so.
The RoRe was conducted a week after the DFA announced it has reached a “provisional arrangement” with China on the conduct of resupply missions to de-escalate tension in the area. Details of the agreement had not been disclosed but officials assured the public it does not compromise the Philippine interests.
Chinese vessels have harassed resupply missions to troops at the grounded BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal. The latest was on June 17, which caused severe injury to a Philippine Navy sailor and damage to Philippine ships.
After Daza said on Saturday that the latest RoRe mission was completed without incident,” the MFA issued a statement on its website quoting an unnamed spokesperson.
It said China’s coast guard was notified ahead of the mission and had “let the vessel through” after an “on-the-scene confirmation.”
“The entire process was monitored by China Coast Guard. China had been notified of the resupply before it was carried out. After confirming on-site that the Philippine vessel carried only humanitarian living necessities, the Chinese side let the vessel through,” it said.
It added: “Let me stress that the arrangement was reached by China with the Philippines based on the three-point principled position of China on managing the situation at Ren’ai Jiao . China’s position on the Ren’ai Jiao issue has not changed. China has sovereignty over Ren’ai Jiao, the rest of Nansha Qundao and their adjacent waters. China will continue to properly deal with relevant territorial issues and disputes over maritime rights with the Philippines through dialogue and consultation.
China refers to Ayungin Shoal as Ren’ai Jiao.
‘UNFORTUNATE’
Daza said, “It is unfortunate that the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) spokesperson has mischaracterized the Philippines’ RoRe mission yesterday (Saturday) morning.”
Daza took note of the MFA’s statement that the provisional arrangement between the Philippines and China is based on the “three-point principled position of China on managing the situation at Ren’ai Jiao.”
“Let us make it absolutely clear: the understanding between the Philippines and China was concluded in good faith, with the explicit agreement that it will not prejudice national positions. It is not helpful to keep giving false notions about what has been agreed on and how they were implemented,” she said.
Daza stressed that the Philippines’ position remains to be that the country has “legally-settled maritime entitlements and lawful right to conduct routine activities” within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Daza added that the BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned naval vessel of the Philippines, and that its presence at the Ayungin Shoal is “well within the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”
“The Philippines will remain committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes, including through dialogue and consultation, and will honor the understanding on RORE missions,” she said.
“We expect China will also adhere to the understanding as negotiated,” she added.
NO DISRUPTION
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) yesterday said nine Chinese vessels were monitored at the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal during the RoRe mission.
National Security Council (NSC) assistant director general Jonathan Malaya, who also serves as spokesman of both the council and the NTF-WPS, said the Chinese vessels, including three navy ships, kept their distance and did not intervene in the mission.
Malaya said ML Lapu-Lapu was used to deliver “essential supplies and provisions” to the troops billeted at BRP Sierra Madre
The supply vessel was escorted a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, BRP Cape Engaño.
“During the operation, various Chinese maritime forces were observed in the vicinity, including four Chinese Coast Guard vessels, three People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels, and two Chinese maritime militia vessels,” said Malaya.
“During the entire duration of the mission, the Chinese vessels maintained their distance and did not undertake any action to disrupt the RoRe,” added Malaya.
PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela showed pictures and videos to support the NSC statement that Chinese vessels were at the vicinity of the shoal during the RoRe.
“These visuals also confirm that the Chinese vessels maintained their distance and did not disrupt the resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal,” he said.
Tarriela said the visuals reinforced the statements of the DFA and the National Task Force for the West Philippines that the Philippines “did not and will not seek permission from the PRC for such missions.”
“The videos clearly show that there was no boarding or inspection by the Chinese Coast Guard, contradicting the claims made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry,” said Tarriela.
‘CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER’
Malaya said the government agreed to provisional understanding with China “for the simple reason of deescalating tensions and preventing misunderstanding and miscalculations at sea.”
“The understanding explicitly does not prejudice the national position of the Philippines.
The guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is clear: The Philippines is committed to the cause of peace but we will not be deterred nor will we yield. We are, nonetheless, committed to address and manage difficult issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
Malaya said they “fully expect” China to adhere to the agreement, the two sides should deal with their differences “in a constructive manner and never through coercion and intimidation.”
“To clarify, the Philippines did not and will never seek permission from the PRC to conduct resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal. There was also no boarding and inspection by the Chinese Coast Guard as claimed by the Chinese Foreign Ministry in its statement yesterday,” he said.
Malaya said the position of the Philippines on the Ayungin Shoal is “steadfast, unwavering and has not changed.”
He said the shoal is not subject to China’s sovereign claims, noting that the 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated the excessive claim of the Chinese in the South China Sea.
Malaya also noted that the shoal is well within the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines, thus the Philippine presence in the area is “lawful and legitimate.”
“The National Task Force-West Philippine Sea remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
We will continue to exercise and assert our maritime rights now and in the future,” he said.
SUPPORT
The provisional agreement between the Philippines and China gained support from other countries.
“The Foreign ministers of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United States welcomed the provisional agreement of the Philippines and China on the RoRe missions as a positive step to manage tensions in the South China Sea,” the DFA said in a statement.
The support was aired during the 14th East Asia Summit-Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (EAS-FMM) and 31st ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.
In his statement during the meetings, Manalo said the Philippines will “honor its commitments under the agreement and hoped that China will likewise honor the agreement.” — With Reuters
