The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, Dec. 11, said that it has filed two diplomatic protests—at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing—and has summoned Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to object two consecutive water cannon incidents at the West Philippine Sea over the weekend.

DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza speaks to the media during a Palace briefing on Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (RTVM screenshot)

During the press briefer of the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) in Malacañang, DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza confirmed that the DFA has undertaken “three actions” versus China’s recent aggression in the disputed waters near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on Dec. 9 and Ayungin Shoal on Dec. 10.

The “maritime communication mechanism” began at 12 noon on Sunday.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs lodged its diplomatic protest with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs counterpart through a phone call,” she told reporters.

“And in terms of the demarche undertaken by Philippine Embassy in Beijing, yes, we confirm that our Philippine Embassy in Beijing has made a demarche to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs official yesterday concerning the Bajo de Masinloc incident and the Ayungin Shoal incident,” she added.

Daza also affirmed that the Chinese envoy has been summoned “later this afternoon to protest the incident.”

A demarche is a term used to refer to step or move in diplomatic affairs to represent or state the views and complaints to a government or public authority.

“These actions violate the Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction and a threat to peace, good order, and security,” the DFA official stressed.

“We reiterate that the resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on 10 December is a legitimate exercise of the Philippines given that the feature is part of our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.”

The DFA’s official statement on the two incidents involving China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and Philippine vessels came after the former fired water cannon at Philippine sea vessels near Bajo de Masinloc off Zambales province last Dec. 9 and again, vessels in a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on Dec. 10.

Despite claiming that China “holds indisputable sovereignty” and has “sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over Bajo de Masinloc, where a 2012 standoff between the two countries’ Coast Guard led to the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal win by the Philippines, the shoal stands 594 nautical miles from China’s Hainan Island.

It, however, is located 120 nautical miles from Luzon island, and is well within the EEZ of the Philippines based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Ayungin Shoal, on the other hand, is 105 nautical miles from Palawan province and is also within Manila’s EEZ. Ayungin is 423.30 nautical miles from China’s Paracel Islands and 617.39 nautical miles from mainland China.

Daza said that Beijing’s recent aggression was in violation of international law, particularly UNCLOS, which sets out the legal framework for defining rights and obligations in seas and oceans.

“It is regrettable that yesterday, the 10th of December is also the 41st anniversary of UNCLOS and the day was commemorated with such violation of the convention,” she added.

Beijing’s claim of the entire South China Sea, including features inside the EEZs of the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan, raised regional and international tensions, with several countries urging it to abide by international laws and rulings, including the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling awarded to Manila.