METRO MANILA, Philippines, May 31 ------ The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has vowed to take diplomatic action against Chinese ships that have "interfered with a Philippine vessel conducting research in the West Philippine Sea.
"The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs takes appropriate diplomatic action for violations of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights within our maritime jurisdiction," the DFA said in a statement released on May 30. In the article titled "Three Rounds of Coercion" published on May 26, US-based research organization Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said that China Coast Guard (CCG) and militia ships intercepted a research vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at the Second Thomas Shoal on April 21.
According to AMTI, the BFAR vessel "drew the attention" of CCG 5304 vessel. The Chinese ship then pursued the BFAR vessel at "extremely close distances, coming as close as 100 meters in multiple instances." Another CCG ship and two other Hainan-based militia vessels pursued the BFAR vessel. "Under pressure, the BFAR (vessel) turned around 12.7 nautical miles from Second Thomas Shoal. It retreated 13 nautical miles east before heading north toward Philippine-occupied Nanshan Island, tailed by the China Coast Guard," the AMTI said. "That underwater feature is occupied by the Philippines and was ruled part of the Philippine EEZ and continental shelf in 2016," the organization added. The research organization also reported that Chinese ships also harassed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Cape Engaño at the Second Thomas Shoal.
A similar incident happened on April 6. Chinese ships reportedly harassed a PCG vessel and a Taiwanese vessel while conducting a survey of undersea fault lines off Ilocos Sur. Another incident took place in the vicinity of Reed Bank off Palawan on April 4, involving two Norwegian ships hired by the Philippine government to conduct oil exploration in the area. "These incidents demonstrate Beijing's determination to control maritime activity within the nine-dash line, and to create a high risk of collisions at sea to do so," the AMTI said. The DFA said "illegal activities around Ayungin Shoal are subject of diplomatic protests in the exercise of the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal, which forms part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the Philippines as affirmed by the 2016 Award on the South China Sea arbitration."
Regarding the presence of CCG ships around the Reed Bank, the DFA said these are "not consistent with innocent passage and are clear violations of Philippine maritime jurisdiction." The DFA also said it has summoned a senior official of the Chinese Embassy in Manila "to protest the harassment by the CCG on RV Legend, which had been conducting authorized MSR activity, with Philippine scientists on board." "We assure the Filipino people that the role of the DFA on upholding Philippine interests and protecting and preserving national security and territorial integrity will remain firm," it added.
Source: cnnphilippines.com
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