Published March 12, 2024
Bilateral ties between Manila and Beijing continue to sour – this time, over statements made by a Chinese diplomat
At least once a month, when the Philippine military and the Philippine Coast Guard voyage to Ayungin Shoal for a mission to bring new troops and supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre, both Beijing and Manila are quick to issue statements on the inevitable tensions out in open sea.
Confrontations, including one in early March 2024 that caused bodily harm on Navy personnel, are a dangerous part of the routine, as China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia ships try to block and drive away Philippine ships.
The BRP Sierra Madre is a World War II vessel purposefully run aground in 1999, in response to China’s encroachment of nearby Mischief Reef. The ship, in all its rusty glory, remains in service and now serves as a Philippine military outpost.
When confrontations happen – collisions, dangerous maneuvers, water cannoning, among others – Beijing is almost always quick to claim “professional conduct.” Never mind that there are stills and footage of its coast guard using powerful water cannons on often smaller Philippine boats.
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SOURCE: www.rappler.com
RELATED: China’s proposals ‘contrary’ to PH interests, Constitution, intl law–DFA
Published March 12, 2024
MANILA, Philippines: Some of Beijing’s proposals to address the maritime dispute with Manila are “contrary” to national interests and would violate the Philippine Constitution and international law, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
The DFA issued the statement on Tuesday in response to The Manila Times’ headline article on March 11 titled “Chinese Official: PH ignored China’s proposals on sea row.”
The Foreign Affairs department confirmed that it received in 2023 a number of concept papers from China on various maritime-related proposals.
But “in no way did the Philippine government ignore China’s proposals,” the DFA said because it submitted its counter-proposals “which were products of extensive internal consultations.”
“While a few proposals were deemed somewhat workable, many of the remaining Chinese proposals were determined, after careful study, scrutiny and deliberation within the Philippine government to be ‘contrary to our national interests,'” the DFA stressed.
“Instead of considering the Philippine counter-proposals, however, the Chinese side presented its own counter-proposals which again did not reflect our interests, especially on issues such as the South China Sea,” the Foreign Affairs department said.
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SOURCE: www.manilatimes.com
