From the Philippine Star (Jul 8, 2023): China claims Philippines intruded on Chinese territory (Michael Punongbayan)
Photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard shows a Chinese Coast Guard ship (right) maneuvering close to the patrol ship BRP Malabrigo near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on June 30. The PCG said its patrol ship was constantly followed, harassed and obstructed by significantly larger Chinese Coast Guard vessels at a distance of approximately 100 meters.
MANILA, Philippines — Reacting to a report by the Philippine Coast Guard that China Coast Guard vessels shadowed, harassed and blocked them in a recent support mission to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, China is now accusing the Philippines of trespassing on Chinese territory.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press conference on July 6 that the Philippines was at fault.
“The Ren’ai Reef is part of China’s Nansha Islands. On June 30, the Philippine Coast Guard vessels intruded into the waters off the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission,” he said.
The Western Command (WESCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, expressed deep concern on July 7 over the “alarming” increase in the presence of Chinese military and fishing boats in the vicinity of Del Pilar (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
At least 52 vessels were found swarming the locations when Philippine Navy pilots aboard the NV312, a Britten Norman Islander light patrol aircraft, conducted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights in the area on June 30.
Wang denied claims that the CCG acted dangerously when its vessels allegedly maneuvered too close to the PCG vessels.
“In accordance with the law, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out law enforcement activities to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order,” he stressed.
“The Chinese side’s maneuvers were professional and restrained,” Wang said, countering the PCG’s claims that during the operation, “the PCG was constantly followed, harassed and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese Coast Guard vessels at a distance of approximately 100 yards.”
“These Chinese Coast Guard vessels blatantly disregard the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea in their attempts to obstruct passage and discourage the PCG vessels from approaching Ayungin Shoal,” the PCG said.
In Washington, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III has expressed concern over China’s most recent aggressive actions toward Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.
He described such actions as “coercive and risky” behavior directed against Philippine vessels operating safely and lawfully in the South China Sea (SCS), including around Ayungin Shoal.
Austin, in a phone call with Defense Secretary Glbert Teodoro on July 6, reassured the Philippines of its commitment to the alliance and reiterated that the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces in the Pacific and anywhere in the SCS.
The statement was issued following a recent report from the PCG that BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua were assisting the naval operation of the AFP to Ayungin Shoal late last month when two CCG vessels “came close” to their patrol boats.
Austin and Teodoro, in their conversation, reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the rules-based order and supporting the livelihoods of local Philippine communities and other claimant states that seek to conduct lawful maritime activities in the SCS, consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling which favored the Philippines and invalidated China’s vast maritime claims in the SCS and West Philippine Sea (WPS).
US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson also expressed concern over the incident and asked China to respect Philippine sovereignty.
“We are concerned by the unprofessional maneuvers of the China Coast Guard against the Philippines Coast Guard. The PRC’s irresponsible behavior in the South China Sea threatens the security and legal rights of our treaty ally, the Philippines,” she said in a Twitter post.
“We call on the PRC to comply with international law, including implementing the legally binding 2016 award in the Philippines versus China Law of the Sea Convention arbitration as a starting point to achieve a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,” Carlson said.
The AFP-WESCOM said before the weekend that 48 Chinese fishing vessels were seen around Del Pilar Reef located south of the oil and gas-rich Recto Bank in the WPS during the air patrol.
Simultaneously with this surge at Del Pilar Reef, the military also reported an increased presence of Chinese maritime assets at Escoda Shoal. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab
MANILA, Philippines — Reacting to a report by the Philippine Coast Guard that China Coast Guard vessels shadowed, harassed and blocked them in a recent support mission to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, China is now accusing the Philippines of trespassing on Chinese territory.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press conference on July 6 that the Philippines was at fault.
“The Ren’ai Reef is part of China’s Nansha Islands. On June 30, the Philippine Coast Guard vessels intruded into the waters off the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission,” he said.
The Western Command (WESCOM) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), meanwhile, expressed deep concern on July 7 over the “alarming” increase in the presence of Chinese military and fishing boats in the vicinity of Del Pilar (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
At least 52 vessels were found swarming the locations when Philippine Navy pilots aboard the NV312, a Britten Norman Islander light patrol aircraft, conducted Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights in the area on June 30.
Wang denied claims that the CCG acted dangerously when its vessels allegedly maneuvered too close to the PCG vessels.
“In accordance with the law, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out law enforcement activities to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order,” he stressed.
“The Chinese side’s maneuvers were professional and restrained,” Wang said, countering the PCG’s claims that during the operation, “the PCG was constantly followed, harassed and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese Coast Guard vessels at a distance of approximately 100 yards.”
“These Chinese Coast Guard vessels blatantly disregard the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea in their attempts to obstruct passage and discourage the PCG vessels from approaching Ayungin Shoal,” the PCG said.
In Washington, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III has expressed concern over China’s most recent aggressive actions toward Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.
He described such actions as “coercive and risky” behavior directed against Philippine vessels operating safely and lawfully in the South China Sea (SCS), including around Ayungin Shoal.
Austin, in a phone call with Defense Secretary Glbert Teodoro on July 6, reassured the Philippines of its commitment to the alliance and reiterated that the Mutual Defense Treaty extends to Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces in the Pacific and anywhere in the SCS.
The statement was issued following a recent report from the PCG that BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua were assisting the naval operation of the AFP to Ayungin Shoal late last month when two CCG vessels “came close” to their patrol boats.
Austin and Teodoro, in their conversation, reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the rules-based order and supporting the livelihoods of local Philippine communities and other claimant states that seek to conduct lawful maritime activities in the SCS, consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling which favored the Philippines and invalidated China’s vast maritime claims in the SCS and West Philippine Sea (WPS).
US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson also expressed concern over the incident and asked China to respect Philippine sovereignty.
“We are concerned by the unprofessional maneuvers of the China Coast Guard against the Philippines Coast Guard. The PRC’s irresponsible behavior in the South China Sea threatens the security and legal rights of our treaty ally, the Philippines,” she said in a Twitter post.
“We call on the PRC to comply with international law, including implementing the legally binding 2016 award in the Philippines versus China Law of the Sea Convention arbitration as a starting point to achieve a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific,” Carlson said.
The AFP-WESCOM said before the weekend that 48 Chinese fishing vessels were seen around Del Pilar Reef located south of the oil and gas-rich Recto Bank in the WPS during the air patrol.
Simultaneously with this surge at Del Pilar Reef, the military also reported an increased presence of Chinese maritime assets at Escoda Shoal. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/07/08/2279483/china-claims-philippines-intruded-chinese-territory
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