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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Makabayan solon slams China over near-crash in Spratlys

Makabayan solon slams China over near-crash in Spratlys

Published Apr 29, 2023 03:04 am
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro (MANILA BULLETIN)




ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro has strongly condemned on Saturday, April 29 what she described as China’s latest attack on the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). "Aside from filing a diplomatic protest, steps must be undertaken so that this will not happen again like lobbying the Asian Parliamentary Assembly and the Inter-Parlimentary Union (IPU) to condemn such actions," said the Makabayan lawmaker. Castro made this call as a Chinese coast guard ship cut off a Philippine patrol vessel carrying journalists off the Spratly Islands, causing a near-collision last April 23. The near-miss occurred amid heightened tension in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) between China and long-time Philippine ally, the United States (US). But between Manila and Beijing, things haven't been very rosy in the WPS either. "While its (China) diplomats say that more lines of communication are now available to avoid skirmishes and misunderstanding in the [WPS], their coast guard tried to ram our coast guard and are intent in denying us our own waters," claimed Castro, who is a deputy minority leader in the House of Representatives. "As things go, while China is using its might to force us out of our own territory and exclusive economic zones, the US is exploiting our strategic location to advance its geopolitical agenda to the detriment of Filipinos," she said. "We reiterate that we need to de-escalate the tension and demilitarize the [WPS] instead of further heightening it. Joint patrols and international pressure are the peaceful yet assertive ways to defend our territory, military agreements will just exacerbate the current situation," ended Castro.

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ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro Spratly Island West Philippine Sea china
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