China is once again stubborn in its decision to defend its sovereignty in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough) — even though it is in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines based on international law.
This was emphasized by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin this Wednesday a few days after the Philippine Coast Guard removed the floating barriers placed by Beijing blocking Filipino fishermen.
“Yesterday, I made clear China’s position on the issue, and you may refer to that. I would like to reiterate that Huangyan Dao has always been China’s territory,” Wang said in a press conference yesterday.
“What the Philippines did looks like nothing more than self-amusement. China will continue to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over Huangyan Dao.”
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. first ordered the special operation to remove the barrier, causing National Security Adviser Eduardo Año to instruct the Coast Guard to cut the barrier at the southeast gate of Bajo de Masinloc.
China insists that Bajo de Masinloc is theirs, something they call “Huangyan Dao,” even though the 2016 arbitral ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration ignored the nine-dash line.
China will continue to defend Scarborough
Such a line is used by the Chinese to claim almost the entire South China Sea as theirs. It contains the West Philippine Sea, part of the 200 nautical mile EEZ of the Philippines.
Wang recently said the Chinese Coast Guard had been professional in setting up the blockade, something he said was necessary.
Just yesterday, the political party leaders of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party, PDP-Laban, National Unity Party and Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. united. to the House to transfer greater intelligence and confidential funds to the following agencies to properly monitor the West Philippine Sea:
- National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA)
- National Security Council (NSC)
- Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
The Coast Guard has received only P118.7 million in combined intelligence and confidential funds since 2006, far less than the P125 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President in 2022 — something that was exhausted in about just two weeks.
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