Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs “Infringement on sovereignty and jurisdiction… unacceptable.”
Philippines responds with annual military exercises with US next month
The fallout from the incident in which Chinese and Philippine ships clashed in a disputed area south of the territorial dispute continues, with the Philippines summoning diplomats from the Chinese Embassy in the country to protest.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency on the 6th, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a deputy representative from the Chinese Embassy in the country to protest the Chinese Navy’s “aggressive actions.”
The Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said in a statement, “It is unacceptable for China to interfere with the Philippines’ daily and lawful activities in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” adding, “China’s interference in Ayungin (Philippine name for Second Thomas Reef) is unacceptable.” “This action is a violation of the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines,” he said.
Previously, the Philippine Coast Guard announced that its ship, which was performing a supply mission near Second Thomas Reef, collided with a Chinese coast guard ship on the 5th and suffered damage to its hull.
Additionally, it was reported that at least four Filipino sailors were injured when a Chinese coast guard ship fired a water cannon.
On the other hand, the Chinese Coast Guard countered, saying, “We took legal action against the Philippine vessel that illegally entered our waters.”
Meanwhile, the Philippines plans to conduct annual joint exercises with the United States next month. The United States and the Philippines have been strengthening mutual military cooperation, such as by conducting the ‘Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder)’ joint exercise in the Batanes Islands, the northernmost part of the Philippines, every April.
Col. Michael Logico, spokesman for the Philippine Army, said at a press conference on the 5th, “This year’s training area will expand beyond the existing area to the north and west.”
In relation to this, an analysis was raised that the focus of training had shifted from internal defense to external defense.
China claims sovereignty over about 90% of the South China Sea, causing friction not only with neighboring countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines, but also with the international community, including the United States. There was a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling that China’s position violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but China does not accept this.
Recently, regional tensions have heightened as the Philippine Coast Guard and private vessels have entered the disputed waters one after another, resulting in physical clashes with the Chinese side.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.