Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stated Monday that the government is not antagonizing China over the military's conduct of air patrol operations and fishing activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) since these areas are within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"What illegal provocations? That area is within our EEZ," Lorenzana said in response to China's accusation that Manila is "illegally provoking" Beijing in the tension-filled waters.
Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged the Philippines to stop its supposed illegal provocations in the South China Sea.
The issue stemmed from a diplomatic protest filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) against China on August 20 over the latter's "continuing illicit issuances of radio challenges" on Philippine military aircrafts conducting regular maritime patrols in Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) in WPS.
The DFA also protested China Coast Guard's confiscation of various fishing aggregating devices that were installed by Filipino fishermen in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales in May.
In response, Zhao said the sending of military planes in Kalayaan Island Group, which they call Nansha Islands, was an "infringement" on China’s sovereignty and security.
Lijian also said the confiscation of the fishing devices in Panatag Shoal, which it calls as Huanyan Dao, was a "lawful practice" since he claimed it is part of their territory.
But Lorenzana reminded China that it has no jurisdiction over the areas being guarded by the Philippine military in the WPS, citing the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
"Their so-called historical rights over an area enclosed by their nine-dash line doesn’t exist except in their imaginations," Lorenzana said.
The PCA ruling dismissed Beijing's "nine-dash line" claim over a major portion in South China Sea, including in areas that are within the Philippines' EEZ, now called the West Philippine Sea.
But China has since constructed military installations in some of the Philippine-claimed islands to establish their presence and control.
Meanwhile, the Defense Chief said the Filipino fishermen did nothing wrong when they installed fishing aggregating devices off Panatag Shoal since it is also within the Philippines' EEZ.
"They (China) are the ones who have been doing provocations by illegally occupying some features within our EEZ. Hence they have no right to claim they are enforcing their laws," Lorenzana said.