PH takes China missiles seriously
Published May 4, 2018 03:50 pm
By Roy Mabasa, Genalyn Kabiling and Mario Casayuran
The Philippine government on Friday assured that it will take “every and all diplomatic actions” to protect its interest following reports that China installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on three outposts in the disputed South China Sea.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing in Malacañang on April 20, 2018.
(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government intends to take diplomatic steps to address the reported missile deployment in the disputed territory. “We are concerned with the reported China’s missile deployments over the contested areas in the West Philippine Sea,” Roque said in a statement. Quoting unnamed sources with direct intelligence reports, US news network CNBC reported on Wednesdaythat missiles were moved to Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef, and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef within the span of 30 days. CNBC said the YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles allow China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles. It said the HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missiles could target aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles within 160 nautical miles. While expressing concern over the report, Cayetano said the Philippine side is still verifying the information. “Our interest is clear. We have territorial and sovereignty rights claim. We will take every and all diplomatic action to protect our interest,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters. “We are taking it seriously. We are verifying the information, we are closely coordinating with SND (Secretary of National Defense), SNA (Secretary of National Security Administration) and NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency),” the foreign affairs chief said. “With our recently developed close relationship and friendship with China, we are confident that those missiles are not directed at us. Be that as it may, we would explore all diplomatic means to address this issue,” Roque said. Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II, chairman of the Senate National Defense and Security Committee, said the Philippine government should stand its ground against what he called the bullying tactics of China. “If verified to be true, (the Philippine government must) maintain high moral ground by invoking arbitral ruling (by the pro-Philippines United Nations arbitral court decision) on the UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea),”Honasan said in a text message to Senate reporters. To fend off the bullying tactics of China, Honasan said the Philippines has in its array multilateral, bilateral economic and security arrangements such the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), and the PH-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The projection of China’s military might in the contested sea has an impact on the global, regional peace, stability, freedom of air and sea navigation, Honasan, a former Army colonel, said. A senior Filipino security official said that China's installation of anti-ship cruise missile and surface -to-air missile systems in the South China Sea poses security concern for the entire region. “Contrary to the freedom of navigation, it poses a serious security concern for the entire region because it means that whoever traverses those areas are well within China's missile range,” the official, who requested anonymity, said. Cayetano acknowledged that the South China Sea problem can never be solved by the Philippines and China alone, saying the government is aware that there have to be talks among all the claimants and the non-regional players in order to resolve the issue. “You cannot just tell China that you are prohibited here… In the same manner that we cannot just tell non-regional players, especially western navy powers not to go in the area because there is freedom of navigation. It’s a big challenge for our diplomats around the world. We are in search of resolution,” he admitted. But the foreign secretary said he is hopeful that diplomacy will work in the same manner that it is working in the case of the North and South Korea. “We are hopeful with the developments in North Korea and we hope it will go well. It will also show the way in South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea that diplomacy can work, that there are no immovable stances. And there are possibilities of cooperating without damaging your own claim,” he said. Honasan said the Philippines should start building confidence measures such as joint exploration for oil and gas in the disputed water with China. (With a report from Francis Wakefield)
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing in Malacañang on April 20, 2018.(YANCY LIM/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government intends to take diplomatic steps to address the reported missile deployment in the disputed territory. “We are concerned with the reported China’s missile deployments over the contested areas in the West Philippine Sea,” Roque said in a statement. Quoting unnamed sources with direct intelligence reports, US news network CNBC reported on Wednesdaythat missiles were moved to Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef, and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef within the span of 30 days. CNBC said the YJ-12B anti-ship cruise missiles allow China to strike vessels within 295 nautical miles. It said the HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missiles could target aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles within 160 nautical miles. While expressing concern over the report, Cayetano said the Philippine side is still verifying the information. “Our interest is clear. We have territorial and sovereignty rights claim. We will take every and all diplomatic action to protect our interest,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters. “We are taking it seriously. We are verifying the information, we are closely coordinating with SND (Secretary of National Defense), SNA (Secretary of National Security Administration) and NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency),” the foreign affairs chief said. “With our recently developed close relationship and friendship with China, we are confident that those missiles are not directed at us. Be that as it may, we would explore all diplomatic means to address this issue,” Roque said. Sen. Gregorio B. Honasan II, chairman of the Senate National Defense and Security Committee, said the Philippine government should stand its ground against what he called the bullying tactics of China. “If verified to be true, (the Philippine government must) maintain high moral ground by invoking arbitral ruling (by the pro-Philippines United Nations arbitral court decision) on the UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea),”Honasan said in a text message to Senate reporters. To fend off the bullying tactics of China, Honasan said the Philippines has in its array multilateral, bilateral economic and security arrangements such the Philippines-United States Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), and the PH-US Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The projection of China’s military might in the contested sea has an impact on the global, regional peace, stability, freedom of air and sea navigation, Honasan, a former Army colonel, said. A senior Filipino security official said that China's installation of anti-ship cruise missile and surface -to-air missile systems in the South China Sea poses security concern for the entire region. “Contrary to the freedom of navigation, it poses a serious security concern for the entire region because it means that whoever traverses those areas are well within China's missile range,” the official, who requested anonymity, said. Cayetano acknowledged that the South China Sea problem can never be solved by the Philippines and China alone, saying the government is aware that there have to be talks among all the claimants and the non-regional players in order to resolve the issue. “You cannot just tell China that you are prohibited here… In the same manner that we cannot just tell non-regional players, especially western navy powers not to go in the area because there is freedom of navigation. It’s a big challenge for our diplomats around the world. We are in search of resolution,” he admitted. But the foreign secretary said he is hopeful that diplomacy will work in the same manner that it is working in the case of the North and South Korea. “We are hopeful with the developments in North Korea and we hope it will go well. It will also show the way in South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea that diplomacy can work, that there are no immovable stances. And there are possibilities of cooperating without damaging your own claim,” he said. Honasan said the Philippines should start building confidence measures such as joint exploration for oil and gas in the disputed water with China. (With a report from Francis Wakefield)