THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday said it would continue to confront illegal patrols in the South China Sea as it tries to prevent China from “normalizing such unlawful actions.”
“If we fail to challenge this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces’ illegal patrols in the future,” it said in a statement.
It added that the deployment of white hull vessels in the face of China’s incursions into its waters signals its intent to manage tensions peacefully.
The Philippine Coast Guard said the use of its assets amid the presence of Chinese vessels including China’s “monster ship” within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea “aims not to provoke China, but to resolve differences through rational discussion and adherence to international law.”
“It is also important to highlight that the deployment of our white hull vessels to address China’s unlawful presence demonstrates the government’s intent to deescalate tensions and pursue a peaceful resolution to these violations of international law,” it added.
The Philippines last week accused China of intimidating Filipino fishermen near Scarborough Shoal and normalizing its “illegal presence” after Beijing sent its biggest coast guard ship into the Philippine EEZ.
China Coast Guard (CCG)-5901 was about 175.94 kilometers from the coast of Zambales province as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.
The monster ship, first spotted within the Philippine EEZ on Jan. 4, “moved further away” from the PCG vessel Gabriela Silang, the agency said in a statement on Sunday night. It said another Chinese vessel, CCG-3304, approached the coast of Zambales at 120.38 kilometers.
“Although the monster ship has departed, it is important to note that CCG-3304, its replacement, remains larger than the largest PCG vessel,” the Philippine side said, referring to the 97-meter muti-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua.
CCG-3304 is 111 meters long and 46 meters wide, it said.
It said the 83-meter French-built BRP Gabriela Silang “continues to diligently fulfill its patriotic mission of challenging the unlawful presence of the Chinese Coast Guard.”
The Philippine Coast Guard said it must confront illegal patrols “as it prevents China from normalizing such unlawful actions.” “If we fail to challenge this, China will succeed in establishing a precedent for its maritime forces’ illegal patrols in the future.”
“Therefore, no matter how long it takes, the PCG vessels will always be present to prevent China from changing the status quo,” it added.
The PCG said China’s “disregard of international law” is a matter of concern not only for the Philippine government but for the entire region and the international community.
“If the People’s Republic of China feels emboldened to ignore UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and unlawfully patrol the EEZ of other states, what will stop it from doing the same to additional countries?” it asked.
“While some may argue they are prepared to defend their rights, isn’t that precisely what we are trying to prevent?” it added.
“A world increasingly dominated by rising tensions among sovereign nations is not what we desire. This is why international law has been established — to ensure equality and uphold the sovereignty of all nations.”
A United Nations-backed tribunal in 2016 voided China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, as it ruled Scarborough Shoal, which Beijing has controlled since 2012, is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen.
The shoal, which Manila calls Bajo de Masinloc, is 241 kilometers off Zambales and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile EEZ. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
