Presence of China’s warships contributing to militarization of area, says NTF-WPS
(Eagle News) – The Department of Foreign Affairs filed another diplomatic protest against China for the continuing presence of its ships in the West Philippine Sea, as the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported not only the presence of Chinese militia ships, but more disturbingly Chinese warships as well.
The NTF-WPS again demanded the immediate withdrawal of Chinese ships and said China should take the Philippine diplomatic protests seriously if it is indeed a development partner of the Philippines as it claims.
-China should take PHL protests seriously, says NTF-
“In keeping with its role as a development partner, China should take the Philippine representations seriously and respect Philippine sovereignty, rights and interests in consonance with the further strengthening of Philippine-China bilateral relations,” the NTF-WPS said in a recent statement.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy” Locsin Jr., in a tweet on Wednesday, April 14, said he had fired off another diplomatic protest, but did not disclose its contents.
“Fired it off. Beautifully written but you will never see it because I’m like that. Annoying. Only Senate and House foreign relations,” he said in his tweet replying to a question from media if the Department of Foreign Affairs had already filed the diplomatic protest.
The new diplomatic protest was done after NTF-WPS noted some 240 Chinese vessels in parts of the West Philippine Sea. But more disturbing is the presence of Chinese warships belonging to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), it said.
“Also spotted during the sovereignty patrol were the following Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels – two (2) Houbei class missile warships at Panganiban Reef, one (1) Corvette class warship at Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, and one (1) Navy Tugboat at Zamora Reef,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.
It also observed two Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the “territorial sea of the Pag-asa Islands.”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also reported two of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships, three Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, and 10 Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels at the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.
“All these warships of the PLA Navy contribute to the militarization of the area,” the NTF-WPS said.
-NTF-WPS denounces “continuous swarming” of Chinese ships –
“The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) denounces the continuous swarming in the WPS by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Maritime Militia which are claimed by Chinese authorities to be ordinary fishing vessels,” the NTF-WPS said.
“The latest round of sovereignty patrols conducted by the Philippine Government on April 11 observed an estimated two hundred forty (240) Chinese vessels lingering in the WPS.”
It said that these vessels, if they are fishing also in these waters are doing “illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.”
-Danger of depleting marine resources-
“These 240 CMM vessels, now dispersed at the Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks and Pag-asa Islands, are about sixty (60) meters in length. A minimum estimate that each can catch one (1) ton of fish amounts to a conservative total of 240,000 kilos of fish illegally taken from Philippine waters every single day that the massed Chinese fishing vessels remain in the West Philippine Sea,” the Task Force noted.
Citing a report from thee Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, it said there was a reported presence of “Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels in the territorial waters of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Province of Palawan and the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”
These include 136 CMMs at Burgos (Gaven) Reef, nine at Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, 65 at Chigua (McKennan) Reef, six at Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, three at Zamora (Subi) Reef, four the Pag-asa (Thitu) Islands, one at Likas (West York) Island, five at Kota (Loaita) Island, and 11 at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
“During an earlier patrol by the Philippine Coast Guard, Chinese poachers were likewise observed collecting giant clams in the vicinity of the Pag-asa Islands. The poachers quickly departed when approached by the Philippine Coast Guard. This act is a blatant violation of Philippine fisheries and wildlife laws, and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),” the Task Force said.
-Chinese swarming of ships, prejudicial to region’s peace and security-
“Finally, the NTF-WPS views with serious alarm the recent reports that a civilian vessel carrying a local news crew conducting interviews of Filipino fishermen was followed and shadowed by a CCG vessel and an armed Houbei class missile warship as it travelled from the vicinity of Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal to the coast of Palawan. The incident is now under investigation,” it said.
“The combined presence of PLAN warships, CCG and CMM in the Municipality of Kalayaan and the Philippine EEZ is prejudicial to the peace and security of the region,” it said.
The NTF-WPS noted that the “continuous swarming of Chinese vessels poses a threat to the safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, and impedes the exclusive right of Filipinos to benefit from the marine wealth in the EEZ.”
“The Philippine government reiterates its demand upon China to withdraw all its vessels from the Municipality of Kalayaan and the Philippine EEZ,” it added.
(Eagle News Service)