Two Chinese ships in Recto Bank heightening tensions – Aquino

From the Manila Bulletin (Aug 29): Two Chinese ships in Recto Bank heightening tensions – Aquino

President Aquino yesterday called on China to help decrease tensions in disputed territories, stressing that the presence of the two Chinese hydrographic ships in Recto Bank has increased animosity between the two countries.

While the President did not call on China to withdraw the two Chinese ships, he stressed that Recto Bank is not a disputed territory but is part of the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) because it is 80 miles from Palawan.

Recto Bank reportedly contains 16.612 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

“What is their purpose there and what are they mapping out? Hydrographic ships are used to chart the bottom of the sea. May we ask where? It’s hard to pinpoint without an evidence,” Aquino said in Filipino.

“What is clear is that there are two ships within our exclusive economic zone and instead of easing the tensions, the incident increased tensions,” he said.

Stressing that the Philippines has been doing its part of easing tensions in the disputed territory, Aquino called on China to do its part by not further increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

The President said the Philippines has been doing its part of easing tensions, citing the arbitration case filed before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the Declaration of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (DOC) in the ASEAN.

“In all forums we attended to, we emphasized the need to follow the rule of law that is within the bounds of the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” Aquino said.

“I hope the other party will also help ease tensions instead of worsening it,” Aquino said.

But instead of helping ease tensions, Aquino noted reports that China has been putting up reclamation areas.

“We are really bothered by these actions and this might lead to land dispute as well,” he said.

“We also hope they would cooperate well with neighboring countries,” Aquino added.
Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it will send a note verbale to the Chinese embassy in Manila to protest the presence of the Chinese hydrographic ships in Recto Bank. It said that China’s conduct of sovereignty patrols in Recto Bank is “in violation of both UNCLOS and the DOC.”

http://www.mb.com.ph/two-chinese-ships-in-recto-bank-heightening-tensions-aquino/