The Philippine government has filed two new diplomatic notes against China in protest against the “continued deployment, lingering presence, and activities of Chinese vessels in Philippine maritime zones,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday, April 23.
In a statement, the DFA said the two new diplomatic protests were lodged on Wednesday, April 21, in addition to the daily protests being filed by the Philippines against the continuing presence of Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef).
“The presence of these vessels blatantly infringe upon Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” the foreign affairs office said.
As of April 20, Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies monitored the continued unauthorized presence and activities of 160 Chinese fishing and maritime militia vessels in Philippine waters.
According to the report received by the DFA, the vessels were observed within the territorial sea of high tide features in the Kalayaan Island Group, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and in and around the territorial waters of Bajo de Masinloc.
Philippine authorities added that five Chinese Coast Guard vessels with bow numbers 3103, 3301, 3305, 5101, and 5203 were seen deployed within the vicinities of the Pag-asa Islands, Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal.
“Through these protests, the DFA reminded China that Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa Islands, Panata, Parola, Kota Islands, Chigua and Burgos Reefs are integral parts of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction. The Philippines exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Julian Felipe Reef and Ayungin Shoal,” the statement read.
The Philippine government maintained that the continued swarming and threatening presence of the Chinese vessels “creates an atmosphere of instability and is a blatant disregard of the commitments by China to promote peace and stability in the region.”
The Philippines has been repeatedly demanding that China adhere to international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the final and binding Arbitral Award of the July 12, 2016 South China Sea Arbitration.
Moreover, it reminded China of its commitments under the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, in particular the exercise of self-restraint in order to maintain an atmosphere conducive to the ongoing negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
The DFA’s announcement on the new protests against China came a day before leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to meet in Jakarta, Indonesia to discuss the most pressing issues in the region that includes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) recovery, political turmoil in Myanmar and China’s continued aggressive stance in the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea.