ship during a joint search and rescue exercise between Philippine and US coast guards near Scarborough shoal, in the South China Sea.
AMID a string of incidents heightening tension in the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on Friday pushed anew for fast-tracking Asean’s adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, to bind “all parties, China included.”
Locsin, who earlier in the day held “substantive discussions” with US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on maritime issues and Manila’s decades-long defense treaty with the US, said in a tweet: “This is why it is imperative for Asean to adopt a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea whereby all parties, China included, accept restraints.”
He added, “As China coordinator, the Philippines insists on Asean cooperation and no dilly-dallying, which is what’s happening. Covid is no excuse,” stressing the need for such as the risks of civilians being harassed at sea came to the fore with the chasing of a Philippines news crew by suspected Chinese military boats.
The Philippines and the United States had a “substantive conversation” discussing both countries’ concern with the People’s Republic of China militia vessels in the South China Sea, including efforts to combat anti-Asian hate and violence in the United States, according to another tweet.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said Locsin and Blinken spoke by telephone but the full content of the conversation was not made available to the media.
“Both sides reaffirmed the importance of working closely to enhance the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States that has stood strong for nearly 70 years, in light of the recent geopolitical developments and challenges in the Asia Pacific region, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” said a statement from the DFA.
See: Locsin, Blinken affirm role of MDT as tensions rise over Chinese militia boats in WPS
The Locsin-Blinken telephone conversation came as the defense establishment started investigating the case of an ABS-CBN news crew who were allegedly chased by two missile attack craft of the Chinese Navy on Thursday enroute to Ayungin Shoal.
Locsin expressed concern over the incident but noted that, “What’s worrisome is that it seems—please verify—ABSCBN crew weren’t in a boat they hired (inviting risk) but in a passenger boat. Now that’s a whole other banana; the state is sworn to protect the Philippine public. And you don’t give chase; you use your bullhorn to warn off.” He was apparently referring to reports that the Chinese Navy boat had chased the referring to news reports that the Chinese Navy vessels had chased the passenger boat bearing the news crew even after they moved to exit the area.
In another tweet, Locsin said, “I’d like to clarify that there is no obligation on the part of the Philippine public to avoid risk from foreign military vessels in Philippine waters. Why I said no Filipino should read the Chinese Coast Guard law; the Chinese should the Philippine Coast Guard law. If we got one.”
On Thursday, US State Department spokesman Ned Price had tweeted, “If China attacks any ship or aircraft from the Philippines in the Pacific, including in the South China Sea, the United States vows to act accordingly under the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.”
He reiterated calls on China to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling that negated its “excessive” claims over almost the entire south China Sea under its nine-dash-line map.
The DFA had filed diplomatic protests against Beijing over the presence of more than 200 Chinese “fishing vessels” – believed to be militia boats– found lashed together in a tight formation in Julian Felipe Reef on March 7.
Chinese officials denied these were Chinese Maritime Militia but fishing boats seeking shelter from rough seas, a claim that Locsin and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had shot down. Lorenzana told them to remove the vessels from the Julian Felipe reef area, which is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Locsin said Manila will file a diplomatic protest for each day the boats remain there.
Image credits: Bloomberg
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