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China's objective: Starve PH personnel in Ayungin Shoal to force them out - Hontiveros

Philippines | National

China's objective: Starve PH personnel in Ayungin Shoal to force them out - Hontiveros

By Dhel Nazario

Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Friday, Nov. 26 that China has no right to make the Filipino people feel threatened or unsafe in their own seas.

In a statement, Hontiveros said that she stands with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in his assertion that Chinese personnel taking pictures and videos of Philippine forces is indeed an act of harassment and intimidation She added that what China's trying to do is to blockade the Filipino personnel into submission.

"Our military personnel at Ayungin Shoal are practically under food blockade. China wants to starve us out, force our personnel to leave, then occupy Ayungin," Hontiveros stated.

She explained that it will be in the interest of all for China to cease its blockade of Ayungin immediately to avoid any incidents that risk the peace and stability in the region.

China's foreign minister, according to Hontiveros, is also incorrect to say that Ayungin Shoal is part of China, when Ayungin is well within our Exclusive Economic Zone as ruled by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

"We have the right to go anywhere we please in our EEZ, and the Philippines will fight for our right," she said.

Related Tags

Department of National Defense (DND) Exclusive economic zone EEZ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) DND Senator Risa Hontiveros AYUNGIN SHOAL Department of National Defense chinese foreign minister china

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