China, US ships in WPS a threat to Filipino fishers' livelihood, group says

Fishers’ group PAMALAKAYA on Friday said the continued presence of Chinese and United States ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) threatens their livelihood.

In a statement, PAMALAKAYA reiterated its call to “demilitarize” the WPS amid the “recurring presence of foreign naval ships” from the two countries.

The group believed that the presence of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, also known as the “monster ship,” in the WPS was in response to the presence of US naval ship Victorious last month.

“Hindi hiwalay ang dalawang insidente ng paglalayag ng mga barkong pandigma ng US at China sa ating karagatan. Sa bawat paglalayag ng isa ay tiyak na tinatapatan ng kagayang paglalayag ng karibal nitong bansa,” PAMALAKAYA vice chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said.

(The patrols of US and Chinese warships in our waters are not separate incidents. Every time one of them sails, the other will surely do the same to challenge its rival country.)

“Para sa aming mga mangingisda, walang inosente sa mga pagdaan ng barko ng U.S. at China sa West Philippine Sea, dahil kapwa ito mapang-udyok sa isa’t-isa,” he added.

(For us fishermen, US and Chinese ships have no innocent passage in the West Philippine Sea because they both provoke each other.)

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US Embassy Press Attaché Kanishka Gangopadhyay told GMA News Online that Washington’s operations comply with international law. 

“All of our operations are designed to be conducted in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” he said in a message.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the Chinese embassy about the matter, but it has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.

China’s monster ship continued its presence near the coast of Zambales on Thursday despite the Philippines’ call to withdraw the vessel, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“The PCG remains committed to its vigilant monitoring efforts, now entering the 13th day of operations where BRP Gabriela Silang has actively confronted the illegal deployment of CCG vessel 5901 within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement on Thursday evening.

“The brave men and women aboard the PCG vessel have successfully ensured that the significantly larger Chinese vessel remains at least 70 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales Province,” he added.

Tarriela said the PCG, through radio communications, told the CCG that the monster ship’s presence in the area violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

“Tracking data for the entire day has shown that the movements of the China Coast Guard vessel are inconsistent with the principles established under UNCLOS,” he said.

“Freedom of navigation requires continuous and expeditious passage, and it is essential to note that this freedom does not permit illegal patrols by foreign vessels within the EEZ of another state,” he added.

The PCG first confirmed the presence of the Chinese vessel near Capones Island on January 4.

On Tuesday, the Philippines said it has filed a diplomatic protest and called on China to withdraw its monster ship from the Philippine waters.

“The Philippine government is alarmed by the presence of the monster ship,” National Task Force - West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said.

“And we have made a clear request and demand with the Chinese government to withdraw their ship. So let’s see what their response will be. We’ll take it from there,” he added.

Infringement

"We have responded to similar questions multiple times. Let me reiterate that China’s sovereignty and rights and interests in the South China Sea were established in the long course of history, and are solidly grounded in history and the law and compliant with the international law and practice," the official said.

Guo maintained the CCG "conducts patrols and law enforcement activities in relevant waters in accordance with the law, which is fully justified."

"We call on the Philippines once again to immediately stop all infringement activities, provocations and false accusations, and stop all its actions that jeopardize peace and stability and complicate the situation in the South China Sea," he added.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has not recognized the decision.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News