China to US: Stop using Philippines to create trouble in South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Days after the China Coast Guard (CCG) harassed two Philippine civilian vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), China has now turned its focus on the United States, accusing it of stirring up trouble in the region.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, at a press briefing yesterday, warned of taking necessary steps to protect China’s supposed territory.

“The US should refrain from using the Philippines to create trouble in the South China Sea and stop undermining peace and tranquility in the South China Sea,” she said.

The US embassy in Manila has so far made no statement about Mao’s allegations.

US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson previously said “the China Coast Guard’s aggressive actions against a lawful Philippine civilian mission near Sandy Cay recklessly endangered lives and threaten regional stability,” referring to the water cannon attack on Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources civilian research vessels in the WPS on May 21.

Mao said the CCG has released a statement and on-site video footage on the incident and claims that “the facts speak for themselves.”

“The Philippines, despite China’s dissuasion, has repeatedly sent people to illegally step on Tiexian Jiao, which is part of China’s Nansha Qundao,” he said, referring to features around Pagasa Island in the WPS.

“That severely infringes on China’s sovereignty and violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” she added.

According to the Chinese spokesperson, their response is fully necessary, legitimate and lawful, and the Philippines needs to “immediately stop its infringement activities and provocations” or else China will make a “resolute response.”

The Philippines has condemned the latest water cannon attack on civilian vessels within its territory. Like-minded nations from across the globe including the US, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and the European Union have similarly condemned the CCG’s actions.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) debunked China’s claims that its rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to the Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal are supervised by the CCG.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines firmly upholds our country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea and reiterates that our resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal are lawful, routine and conducted within our exclusive economic zone in accordance with international law, specifically UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” the AFP noted.

“We do not, and will never, seek permission from any foreign state to conduct operations that assert and protect our sovereign rights,” the AFP said following its successful RORE mission on May 16.

“We firmly reject China Coast Guard’s false narrative that our operations require their permission or supervision. This is clearly meant to mislead the international community and project control where they have no basis to do so,” the military stressed.

The AFP said the facts remain unchanged and Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippine exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

Damage assessment

According to BFAR spokesman Nazario Briguela, repair costs for one of the ships water cannoned and sideswiped by a CCG patrol vessel could reach up to a million pesos.

BFAR’s Datu Sanday sustained damage on its bow on the port or left side and its smokestack. The agency has yet to evaluate the total cost of damages to the entire vessel.

The team behind the marine scientific research in Pag-asa Sandy Cay 2 has yet to publicize details of its mission, particularly the samples collected from the area, Briguela said.

Concert still a ‘go’

The third WPS mission of the civilian-led Atin Ito coalition will proceed despite imminent setbacks, such as China’s latest aggression.

The group, composed of members from progressive groups Akbayan and Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, would hold a “Peace and Solidarity Sea Concert” from May 26 to 30 in select areas in the WPS, PRRM president and Atin Ito co-convener Edicio dela Torre said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City yesterday.

The first concert would be held off the shores of El Nido in Palawan on May 26, while the second one will be in Pag-asa Island in the Kalayaan Group of Islands on May 28, he added.

The “mother ship” sailing for the upcoming concert can accommodate up to 200 people, which would include Filipino musicians Noel Cabangon and Ebe Dancel, Filipino all-women rock group Rouge and the Moro Beats rap group representing Mindanao, as well as artists from South Korea, Japan and neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia, alongside 40 members of local and foreign media – including The STAR.

The Chinese embassy did not reply to Atin Ito’s invitation for an artist to join the mission, while those from Vietnam “changed their minds,” noted Dela Torre.

Both China and Vietnam assert ownership in the West Philippine Sea.

Aside from the concert, Atin Ito would also deliver provisions for Filipino fishermen, who will come with 30 boats from Pag-asa Island to welcome the mother ship. — Ghio Ong