MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has maintained that it has “unassailable rights” within the West Philippine Sea and expressed “grave concerns” on the recent maritime incidents following the air and sea mishap with China, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said Wednesday.
NSA Eduardo Año and his US counterpart, Jake Sullivan, discussed the issues during a phone call on Tuesday, August 20. However, the National Security Council only released a statement about the conversation on Wednesday.
“The two NSAs exchanged information on the current maritime security situation in the region and particularly raised grave concerns on the recent illegal, aggressive, and dangerous actions of China’s People’s Liberation Army-Air Force (PLAAF) against a Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft conducting a routine maritime security operation over Bajo de Masinloc; and Chinese Coast Guard vessels against Philippine Coast Guard ships while en route to Patag Island and Lawak Island in the WPS, it said.
On August 8, near Scarborough Shoal, two PLAAF fighter jets fired flares at a PAF NC-212i plane and carried out what the military calls “dangerous maneuvers.” Less than two weeks after the incident, the Chinese Coast Guard rammed two Philippine-flagged vessels after it claimed that the vessels “illegally entered” the Sabina Shoal without asking permission from Chinese authorities.
“NSA Año underscored the Philippines’ unassailable rights in the West Philippine Sea based on international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the council also said.
The 2016 arbitral award from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague affirms that the Philippines has complete authority in the South China Sea (now West Philippine Sea), adding that China has no legal basis for its claims in the maritime territory.
But China continues to assert dominance in the disputed waters and has since deployed Chinese military and research vessels in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, including harassment to Philippine authorities and fishermen.
These actions prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs to file another diplomatic protest against China’s “unlawful and dangerous” maneuvers in the area.
The National Maritime Council earlier said that the agency is planning to file another charges against Beijing before an international body following the August 19 incident which led to the structural damage of two Philippine Coast Guard Vessels.
