South China Sea tension a threat to peace — Japan

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JAPAN yesterday said the volatile situation in the South China Sea is an international concern as it is a threat to peace and stability in the region.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the statement following harassment by China of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea last Tuesday. The latest bullying by China on a Philippine resupply mission to the Ayungin Shoal injured four Philippine Navy men. The Chinese vessels’ water cannon attack and dangerous maneuvers resulted in a collision and damaged Philippine ships.

“Japan reiterates serious concern over actions which increase regional tensions including recent dangerous actions that led to collisions between Chinese and Filipino vessels and injuries of the Filipinos,” the Foreign Ministry said.

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“Japan believes that the issue concerning the South China Sea is directly related to the peace and stability of the region and is a legitimate concern of the international community, and thus Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force as well as any actions that increase tensions in the South China Sea,” it added.

Tokyo said it fully concurs with Manila’s long-standing objection to unlawful maritime claims, militarization, coercive activities and threat or use of force in the South China Sea, and fully supports the 2016 arbitration ruling that upheld Philippine sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone and junked China’s expansive territorial claims in the disputed waters.

“The arbitral award is final and legally binding on the parties to the dispute … and Japan strongly hopes that the parties’ compliance with the award will lead to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea,” the foreign ministry said.

Japan, which has a long-running territorial dispute with China in the East China Sea, also said Beijing should respect the arbitral decision.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Manila also expressed alarm, saying it is “deeply concerned about the dangerous situation caused by collision between the Chinese and the Philippine vessels and the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.”

“The situation threatens the safety of crew members and raises tension in the concerned waters. We reiterate that peace, stability and rules-based order in the SCS must be upheld together with the freedom of navigation and overflight based on the principles of international law, including UNCLOS,” it added.

Japan and South Korea joined the United States, European Union, Germany, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, Finland and Sweden in expressing alarm and condemning Chinese aggressive activities in the disputed waters.

FEWER CHINESE SHIPS

The AFP Western Command (Wescom) reported a significant decrease in Chinese presence at the Ayungin Shoal area.

Wescom commander Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos said as of yesterday, there was only one Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and two Chinese militia vessels near the shoal, down from 26 — 18 militia, five CCG, and three Navy vessels — last Tuesday.

Not all the 26 Chinese vessels took part in last Tuesday’s dangerous maneuvers and water cannoning incident.

Carlos said the number of Chinese vessels near Ayungin Shoal usually surge whenever there is an impending Philippine military resupply in the area.

“But based on our monitoring this morning, most of them already left. They’re back to the number they usually maintain near Ayungin Shoal,” he said.

The military has been resupplying its troops at the shoal, about 104 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan and well within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The troops are staying at the rusting Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre which was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.

Four Navy personnel onboard Unaizah Mae 4, a civilian military-chartered supply boat, sustained injuries after the boat’s wind shield was shattered by the water cannons.

Carlos said the damage incurred by Unaizah Mae 4 was minor and it may be used in the next resupply mission.

Carlos, who was aboard the boat, suffered minor injuries from splinters.

Carlos said the boat, on a maiden voyage to Ayungin Shoal, was not actually carrying supplies, noting they were merely testing if it can enter the shoal. He said the boat is larger and almost double the size of supply boats that they used in previous resupply missions.

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Another supply boat, Unaizah Mae 1, successfully delivered supplies to troops stationed at the shoal.

President Marcos Jr., in a recorded interview on Wednesday after his trip to Australia, emphasized the importance of holding joint military drills between the Philippines and Australia which he said benefit the country not only in terms of improving its defense and security capabilities but also for disaster preparedness and response.

“The scheduling of this is really a risk, really depend upon the situation in the West Philippine Sea, whether or not the threat levels and the tension levels are increasing or decreasing,” he said when asked if he preferred to hold the joint exercises with Australia annually.

He said having yearly exercises should still be discussed and “we will have to assess the situation at the time and if we need to continue these exercises, then I think we will be able to agree on that.”

In Marcos state visit to Australia last week, Canberra has committed to hold the exercises once every two years. — With Victor Reyes and Jocelyn Montemayor

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