Manila, Aug 7 (EFE).- The Philippine President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., assured this Monday that the Chinese ambassador in Manila was summoned for consultations after an incident in which the Chinese coast guard blocked and fired water cannons at surveillance boats Philippine coastline in a disputed area of the South China Sea.
Marcos Jr. explained this Monday at a press conference that his Foreign Minister, Enrique Manalo, met today with the Chinese ambassador, Huang Xilian, to deliver a protest note.
Although it is called a verbal note because it originally reflected the topics discussed in a conversation, it is a written communication that governments use to issue protests before the Embassies of another country established in their territory.
“We continue to assert our sovereignty, we continue to assert our territorial rights in the face of all these challenges, in accordance with international law,” Marcos said.
The Philippine leader assured that he will assess with his cabinet other possible responses to the incident and recalled that, despite the tensions, the Philippines must “continue to communicate” with the Chinese government to “reach a conclusion” in this conflict.
According to Manila, the incident took place on Saturday as Philippine coast guard ships were delivering food, water, gasoline and other supplies to troops stationed on Ayungin Atoll in the Spratly archipelago, where China and the Philippines dispute territory.
The Philippine coast guard denounces that, when carrying out distribution tasks, they were intercepted by a Chinese coast guard ship, which carried out “dangerous maneuvers” and “made illegal use of water cannons” against their ship.
Philippine-controlled Ayungin Atoll lies less than 200 miles (about 322 kilometers) off the west coast of Palawan, southwest of the archipelago and within the exclusive economic area of the Philippines.
This distance, 200 nautical miles, is the limit established by the UN to determine the maritime sovereignty of states, according to a convention that China adhered to in 1996.
Last February, the Philippine coast guard claimed that a Chinese ship used a blinding laser, “probably for military use”, against its crew.
China and the Philippines maintain a conflict over the sovereignty of several islands and atolls in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely for “historical reasons”, also disputing territories with Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei.
Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent months, while Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. strengthens his defense alliance with the US, reversing the rapprochement with Beijing promoted by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
Beijing, Aug 7 (EFE).- China justified today that its coast guard fired water cannons at Philippine ships in the South China Sea, near disputed territories between the two, as a “warning measure” to “avoid a direct confrontation.”
“Despite repeated warnings, the Philippines sent two ships to the Ayungin Atoll (known as Ren’ai in China) last Saturday to reinforce the presence of the troops they are maintaining there illegally,” the Chinese Coast Guard said in a statement on Monday. release.
According to the source, the Chinese coast guard gave “multiple warnings” after which they “used water cannons as a warning to avoid a direct confrontation.”
“It was a professional and measured operation, and there is no room for criticism,” the statement added.
The Philippines on Sunday called Chinese coast guard maneuvers “dangerous” as their ships delivered food, water, gasoline and other supplies to troops stationed on the Manila-controlled Ayungin Atoll.
The atoll is located less than 200 miles (about 322 kilometers) off the western coast of Palawan, southwest of the archipelago and within the exclusive economic area of the Philippines.
This distance, 200 nautical miles, is the limit established by the UN to determine the maritime sovereignty of states, according to a convention that China adhered to in 1996.
According to Beijing, the atoll “has always belonged to the Nansha Islands” (as China calls the Spratly archipelago), accusing the Philippines of “violating” its sovereignty.
“The Philippines continues to send a large amount of construction materials there under the excuse of staff turnover and shipment of supplies. China has expressed concern to the Philippines through diplomatic channels, but has never responded,” the statement said.
It also points out that China “will continue to take measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty” and calls on the Philippines to accept its proposals to “discuss the situation through dialogue.”
China and the Philippines maintain a conflict over the sovereignty of several islands and atolls in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely for “historical reasons”, also disputing territories with Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and Brunei.
Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent months, while Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. strengthens his defense alliance with the US, reversing the rapprochement with Beijing promoted by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
For its part, the US Embassy in the Philippines published a statement condemning the “dangerous actions” of the Chinese coast guard and recalling that an attack on the Philippine Army or coast guard would invoke the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.
