NMC questions China commitment to de-escalating WPS tensions

The Philippines questioned China's commitment to de-escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea following the recent ramming and water cannon incident near the Escoda Shoal.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the National Maritime Council deplored the ''repeated aggressive, unprofessional and illegal actions'' displayed by Chinese maritime forces against Philippine vessels and aircraft in the past week.

''That these provocative and dangerous actions were made in the space of only a week is alarming, and calls into question  China’s supposed commitment to de-escalate the situation in the area and create a conducive environment for dialogue and consultation,'' the NMC said.

According to the NMC, the Bureau of  Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' activities were lawful and were under its mandates.

The council also emphasized that Manila had never  provoked Beijing, which has relied on ''deliberate and  intentional harassment and intimidation to interfere with Philippine  sovereign operations, and endanger the safety of Filipinos aboard  Philippine vessels and aircraft conducting their routine missions.''

The maritime council also maintained that China’s illegal activities showed its ''wanton disregard'' for UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea  Arbitral Award, which invalidated its massive claim in the resource-rich region.

The Philippines vowed to continue to stand firm in the conduct of its lawful operations and expose the illegal presence and violations of Chinese vessels and aircraft within the Philippines’  maritime zones.

''The Philippines will never waver in exercising its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and defending its maritime and archipelagic interests consistent with international law,'' the NMC said.

Further, the Philippine government would continue its proper diplomatic approaches to resolve the ongoing maritime issues in the region.

It further called on Beijing to return to constructive dialogue on matters related to the West Philippine Sea.

Aside from the recent ramming incident, an aircraft of the Bureau of  Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was met with Chinese flares at least three times at the Zamora Reef last week.

Armed Forces Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the incident at the Zamora Reef was an escalation of Beijing's atrocities.

For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez called on China to pursue peaceful actions in resolving West Philippine Sea issues following the two instances of Chinese aggression against Philippine vessels in a week.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this newest reckless and dangerous maneuvers by the China Coast Guard on our vessels, this time a BFAR ship resupplying fishermen in Hasa-Hasa Shoal, which is about 60 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan, and Escoda Shoal, located around 110 nautical miles away also from Rizal town,” Romualdez said in a statement.

“This area is clearly within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, to which China and the Philippines are signatories. Beijing should pursue consultations and dialogue as a way to resolve conflict, and not resort to confrontation and aggression,” he added.

In a separate statement, Federation of Free Workers Women Network (FWN) also condemned the latest series of Chinese harassment, calling such actions unacceptable.

“On this National Heroes’ day, we have to speak out loud and clear — these are blatant acts of aggression and are unacceptable in a civilized society, these are of acts of a bully and can be considered as direct attack on our sovereignty, particularly as the BRP Datu Santay is a government vessel,” said FWN President Ma. Victoria Garson Bellosillo.  — with Llanesca T. Panti/DVM/KBK, GMA Integrated News