(Eagle News) — The Philippines has protested what it said were the “belligerent” actions of the Chinese Coast Guard against the Philippine Coast Guard and their illegal presence in Bajo de Masinloc.
The Department of Foreign Affairs announced the development in a statement on Monday, May 3, days after the incident from April 24 to 25.
According to the DFA, the Chinese Coast Guard was responsible for “shadowing, blocking dangerous maneuver” and for conducting “radio challenges” while Philippine Coast Guard vessels were conducting legitimate maritime patrols and training exercises.
The department said the Philippines’ conduct of maritime patrols and training exercises in the Kalayaan Group of Islands and Bajo de Masinloc, in the first place, is a “legitimate and routine act of a sovereign country in its territory and territorial waters and is part of the Philippines’ administrative responsibility.”
The Kalayaan Group of Islands and Bajo de Masinloc, after all, it said, are “integral parts of the Philippines” that has “sovereignty and jurisdiction” over them.
“China has no law enforcement rights in these areas,” the department said, rejecting the statement of the spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry that China enjoys sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc.
The department said such a statement “is without basis in international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and is not recognized by the international community.”
“The presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the Philippines’ territorial waters of Pag-Asa Island and Bajo de Masinloc, and exclusive economic zone raises serious concern. The unauthorized and lingering presence of these vessels is a blatant infringement of Philippine sovereignty,” the department said.
“The Philippines calls on China to withdraw its government vessels around the KIG and Bajo de Masinloc and respect Philippine sovereignty,” the DFA said.
This is not the first time the Philippines filed a protest against China over the presence of its vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Earlier, the Philippines filed a series of protests in connection with the presence of around 160 Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef.
