(Eagle News) — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reiterated his call for China to “refrain from conducting activities that disturb regional and international peace and security.”
In reiterating his call, Lorenzana said China’s nine-dash line, which it uses to stake its claim over almost the entire West Philippine Sea, is “without any factual or legal basis.”
Lorenzana noted that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had already “flatly and categorically rejected” China’s historical claim when it issued its ruling in favor of the Philippines in 2016.
“The Philippines’ claims stand on solid grounds while China’s do not,” he said.
He said China should “respect Philippine sovereignty over the Kalayaan Islands, and its sovereign rights over its Exclusive Economic Zone as defined by (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and affirmed by the arbitral award.”
“The continued presence of Chinese maritime militias in the area reveals their intent to further occupy features in the West Philippine Sea. They have done this before at Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc and at Panganiban Reef brazenly violating Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights under international law,” he said.
“As a party to the (Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea), China should refrain from conducting activities that disturb regional and international peace and security,” he added.
Earlier, the Philippine government protested the presence of over 200 Chinese militia ships at Julian Felipe Reef, a feature located 175 nautical miles off Bataraza, Palawan.
The Chinese Embassy last week said the vessels were fishing boats seeking shelter at the reef.
This was the same explanation Huang Xilian, China’s ambassador to the Philippines, gave President Rodrigo Duterte in a meeting.