Tarriela warns China control of Bajo de Masinloc could complete 'Iron Triangle'

MANILA, August 18 ------ Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea warned that China’s possible militarization of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal could complete a strategic “Iron Triangle” that would allow Beijing to expand its dominance across the South China Sea.

Bajo de Masinloc, which is located 124 nautical miles west of mainland Zambales, is well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The shoal has been under Beijing’s control since 2012.

According to Tarriela, Bajo de Masinloc is the “last remaining part” of the triangle connecting China-controlled areas in the Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands, and Scarborough Shoal. “If you’re going to connect Paracels to Bajo de Masinloc, and Bajo de Masinloc to the Spratlys, it will allow China to dominate the entire maritime space of the South China Sea,” Tarriela said in a press briefing organized by the National Maritime Council (NMC) in Manila.

The official stressed that this would be a concern not only for the Philippines, but for other countries that rely on the South China Sea for shipping and trade. China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has said it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the waters. “This is disturbing because they claim indisputable sovereignty in the entire waters of the South China Sea, which might impede freedom of navigation and prevent the flow of global trade,” Tarriela explained. “For China to take over Bajo de Masinloc is not just a concern for the Filipino people; it's a concern for everybody, wherein more than 60% of global trade passes in this area,” he added.

Tarriela pointed to China’s control of the Paracel Islands and its military installations on reclaimed features in the Spratlys. He cited Panganiban Reef or Mischief Reef as an example, noting that in the 1990s, Beijing said it would only build a fisherman’s shelter in the area. However, the reef has since been converted into a sophisticated military base.

Tarriela said the development of these areas shows what could happen if China establishes permanent presence at Bajo de Masinloc. “For me, the most solid proof for us to argue that they really want to operationalize this is the militarization of those illegally reclaimed islands in the Paracels and also in the Spratlys,” the official said. “This is our most solid evidence to really show to the world what is the intent of the People's Republic of China (PRC).”

Tarriela also recalled Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2015 statement that China would not militarize the islands it had reclaimed in the South China Sea. “We should not forget what President Xi Jinping said when he had a bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama in 2015 in the Rose Garden in the White House. He said that he will never militarize the islands that are illegally reclaimed by them in the South China Sea. More than ten years have passed since President Xi Jinping said this, and now, we know what illegally reclaimed islands are being used. So, try to think of it,” he added.

BASHI CHANNEL

Tarriela also highlighted the strategic location of Bajo de Masinloc near the Bashi Channel, which provides a passage between the South China Sea and the Pacific. “From the Bashi Channel, if it passes through the South China Sea, it will also become an outlet for vessels to go out to the Pacific area,” he noted. “So, if this whole area will be dominated by China, it will allow China to have easier access, not just for the entire South China Sea, but even control the entire Bashi Channel as well,” the official warned.

Tarriela said the Philippine government continues to patrol Bajo de Masinloc to maintain its presence and monitor Chinese activities. “On the part of the national government, particularly the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), we are continuing to patrol Bajo de Masinloc, so that one, they [China] cannot normalize their position na kanila ang Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela said. He went on, “Pangalawa, so that we can effectively monitor what are the things that they're doing there and also to prevent China from realizing their illegal intent dito sa Scarborough Shoal.”

PHILIPPINES’ TRANSPARENCY HOLDING BACK CHINA

According to Tarriela, the transparency initiative remains an important tool for Manila. “Obviously, with the military capability, the economic capability of China, as of this time, they can really do whatever they want,” the official said. “And the only thing that holds back China is our transparency.”

He explained that exposing Chinese activities to the international community could discourage Beijing from pursuing actions that could “cause reputational damage.” “Whenever we expose their illegal intentions, medyo nag-ho-hold back sila because they are still concerned about the international community. And of course, mas matindi ang reputational damage if they would keep on doing all of these unlawful activities because it diminishes their intent sa pagharap sa international community,” Tarriela noted.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com