A ranking officer of the Philippine Navy (PN) called on China to withdraw its plan to enforce a new maritime rule that would allow the China Coast Guard (CCG) to arrest “trespassers” into the areas claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea (SCS) since it would mean a “drastic escalation” of tension in the disputed waters.
The trespass rule, made official through the release of Order No. 3 by Beijing last month, will take effect on Saturday, June 15.
According to reports quoting the new order, foreign nationals who will be caught entering China’s territory can be arrested by its coast guard from 30 to 60 days even without a warrant.
China occupies almost the entire SCS, including some features within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“I just hope that they will not continue with the enforcement of that rule because it will be a drastic escalation [of tension],” said Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS).
He said China “has no right” to implement unilateral laws in the SCS, particularly in waters encompassing the Philippines’ EEZ.
“We are concerned, but not only us. Even other maritime countries that use our sea lanes are concerned,” Trinidad admitted.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), according to Trinidad, has coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to increase the country’s presence in the WPS in response to the new regulation.
If ever attempts of arrest will be made by Chinese forces against Filipinos in the WPS, Trinidad said the PN has prepared “contingency plans”.
“The Philippine Navy has contingency plans in place if ever we get there. But we are putting more effort on the deterrent side. We should not reach that point,” he emphasized.
Coincidentally, the PN has monitored an increase in the number of Chinese warships, coast guard and maritime militia vessels from its South Sea Fleet operating in the WPS this week.
From June 4 to 10, the PN recorded 146 Chinese vessels sailing in the WPS, which included 22 navy warships, 16 coast guard vessels, and 108 maritime militia boats.
They were spotted in the nine features occupied by the Philippines in the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) namely Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal), Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, Parola Island (Northeast Cay), Kota (Loaita) Island, Likas (West York) Island, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, Panata Island (Lankiam Cay), and Patag (Flat) Island; as well as two other features, Escoda (Sabina) Shoal and Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef.
This was higher than the 125 Chinese vessels (11 navy warships, nine coast guard vessels, and 105 maritime militia boats) recorded during the May 28 to June 3 monitoring.
But the increased Chinese deployment will not stop the PN from patrolling the WPS, according to Trinidad.
“We will not be deterred from performing our mandate of patrolling, of rotating our personnel, of providing them supplies,” he said.
The navy spokesman further stated the PN has increased its engagement with the Philippines’ allies and partners to ensure that the rules-based international order in the South China Sea will be maintained and the illegal enforcement of restrictive laws will be stopped.
“Other countries are starting to realize that the problem of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea is not only isolated to us. It is an international problem that all maritime nations should be concerned about, including the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and other countries that use international sea lanes for their domestic and international trade,” Trinidad said.