Marcos admin to continue filing diplomatic protests vs China —Clarita Carlos

Incoming National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos on Friday said the administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would keep filing diplomatic protests against China.

“We will continue to file diplomatic protests, nevermind that we are filing 10,000 of them,” Carlos said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

However, Carlos said the incoming administration will also continue communicating with China and other countries with claims over disputed territories.

She earlier said the Marcos administration will pursue a "critical engagement" with China.

She said critical engagement involves creating a holistic framework considering all aspects—political, economic, social, cultural—in the country’s relationship with China.

On Thursday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) protested anew against the return of more than 100 Chinese vessels to Julian Felipe Reef, an area in the West Philippine Sea.

On April 4, the vessels were found illegally operating in the maritime waters of Julian Felipe Reef, according to the DFA.

The concerned area is a low tide elevation within the territorial sea of relevant high tide features in the Kalayaan Island Group, including Chigua Reef.

“The persistent swarming of Chinese vessels is contrary to international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” the DFA said.

“It is also a violation of China’s commitments under the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, in particular, the exercise of self-restraint pursuant to Paragraph 5 thereof,” it added.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, following a case filed by the Philippines, invalidated China's sweeping claims over the waters. Beijing does not recognize the ruling.—AOL, GMA News