THE Philippines has filed 21 diplomatic protests against China in the first quarter of the year due to its aggressive and illegal activities, including encroachment on the country’s exclusive economic zone.
National Maritime Council Undersecretary and spokesman Alexander Lopez, in a briefing yesterday, said at least 638 Chinese vessels have illegally entered the country, with some spotted near Palawan or the Kalayaan islands.
Lopez said an average of seven to eight Chinese vessels daily were seen around the Pagasa island, which included at least one Chinese Coast Guard or one Chinese navy vessel and mostly Chinese maritime militias.
There were at least two to three Chinese vessels daily on Bajo de Masinloc and one to two vessels at the Ayungin Shoal and Sabina Shoal, respectively.
Lopez said the number of Chinese vessels increased when the Philippines conducted patrol and resupply missions near the Philippine islands in the WPS.
Some Chinese vessels engaged in dangerous maneuvers, driving away and blocking Philippine ships, shadowing, drone sightings and other harassment tactics.
“During the first quarter of this year, we have identified, closely monitored and responded to a pattern of activities that reflect intensified interference, coercion, aggression and deception by Chinese vessels operating illegally within our exclusive economic zone. These include continued swarming by Chinese maritime militia in several features within our exclusive economic zones, dangerous maneuvers and obstruction of Philippine resupply missions, and increasingly aggressive and deceptive messaging meant to undermine our legal and diplomatic efforts,” Lopez said.
He said the actions of the Chinese are clear violations of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and a complete disregard of the binding 2016 arbitral ruling, which affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea.
He deferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) when asked for the status of the diplomatic protest or response of China.
The country had also monitored at least 556 Vietnamese ships and 18 other foreign vessels within the vicinity of the Philippine held islands. Lopez, however, was mum if diplomatic letters were also sent to Vietnam and other countries from which the foreign ships came.
Lopez said apart from China’s actions at sea, the Chinese had also been involved in at least 180 cases of disinformation and propaganda schemes that undermined the Philippines’ legal and diplomatic standing.
He said the Philippine government, through its maritime enforcement agencies such as the Armed Forces, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries, has undertaken calibrated, resolute and transparent actions in response to China’s actions such as the increased and deliberate rotational deployments at maritime patrol; uses Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) technologies and equipment to enhance maritime domain awareness; and continuously conducted resupply and maintenance missions with the help if the Bureau of Fisheries and even the Filipino fishermen.
“We have also amplified coordination with regional and international partners through joint maritime coordinated activities or JMCAs and other defense dialogues. We also held public documentation of illegal and provocative acts, counter disinformation and promoted transparency,” Lopez added.
He assured the public that despite the limitations and challenges faced by the country, the government is steadfast in its commitment to uphold the country’s sovereign rights, to preserve regional peace, and to protect the welfare of the coastal communities.
“So that’s what we want to inform our public, that despite our meager assets or resources, we have efficiently, effectively deployed and utilized them in order for us to cover the whole West Philippine Sea,” Lopez said.
“Every Filipino has the right, and must be assured that their government is actively, consistently and globally defending our national interests in our vast maritime domain for the benefit of the Philippines,” he added.
SAND DUMPING PROBE
In Malacanang, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is closely coordinating with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency and the Philippine Coast Guard about the ongoing investigations on the alleged use of sand from the Philippines’ coastlines in the alleged reclamation activities of the Chinese in the WPS.
Castro said those found violating the law would be held accountable and charged with violation of Republic Acts 7942 and 120641 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and Philippine Mining Act, respectively.
