The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has lodged two new diplomatic protests against China over the continuing presence of its vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
The DFA said that 160 Chinese vessels were spotted in Philippine waters.
In a diplomatic note dated April 21, the DFA said the presence of these vessels in the West Philippine Sea “blatantly infringe upon Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”
“The vessels were observed within the territorial sea of high tide features in the Kalayaan Island Group, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and in and around the territorial waters of Bajo de Masinloc,” rhe DFA said in a statement.
Five Chinese Coast Guard vessels with bow numbers 3103, 3301, 3305, 5101, and 5203 were also seen deployed within the vicinities of Pag-asa Island, Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal.
“Through these protests, the DFA reminded China that Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa Islands, Panata, Parola, Kota Islands, Chigua and Burgos Reefs are integral parts of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction. The Philippines exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Julian Felipe Reef and Ayungin Shoal,” the DFA added.
The new protests were in addition to the daily protests filed by the DFA over the Julian Felipe Reef incident.
“The continued swarming and threatening presence of the Chinese vessels creates an atmosphere of instability and is a blatant disregard of the commitments by China to promote peace and stability in the region,” the DFA said.
The DFA called on China to adhere to international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling that denigrated China’s massive claim over the resource-rich South China Sea.
