Philippines Concern Over Chinese Ship: Senior diplomats from the Philippines and China met for important talks in Xiamen on Thursday to discuss the ongoing dispute over the South China Sea. The Philippine delegation, led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, raised serious concerns about the activities of China’s Coast Guard in the region, specifically a large 12,000-ton ship known as “The Monster.”
CCG 5901, the world’s largest coast guard ship, was recently seen patrolling the Scarborough Shoal and waters near Luzon, a main island of the Philippines. Manila has already protested and filed complaints about the ship’s presence in its waters.
A Philippine National Security official mentioned that China is “pushing us to the wall” and suggested Manila may consider suing Beijing over the South China Sea. Though CCG 5901 has not yet taken dangerous actions, Philippine officials say its activities in their waters are not supported by international law, reported by Radio Free Asia.
This ship had recently been patrolling the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal area, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. China’s Vice Foreign Minister, Chen Xiaodong, headed the Chinese delegation during this meeting. The two sides have been holding talks since 2017 as part of an effort to reduce tensions in the South China Sea, where both countries have competing territorial claims.
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The Philippines has been protesting China’s growing presence in its waters. The Philippine officials emphasized that the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard vessels in their waters was not supported by any international law.
According to The Star Lazaro stated, “Our position is clear and consistent, but so is our willingness to engage in dialogue. We firmly believe that despite the unresolved challenges and differences, there is genuine space for diplomatic and pragmatic cooperation in dealing with our issues in the South China Sea.”
China, on the other hand, has repeatedly argued that its presence in the South China Sea is fully justified.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said, “We call on the Philippines once again to immediately stop all infringement activities, provocations and false accusations, and stop all its actions that jeopardize peace and stability and complicate the situation in the South China Sea.” China also continues to assert its jurisdiction over Scarborough Shoal, which has been under its de facto control since 2012.
The Philippines has been taking action against China’s incursions, lodging protests and diplomatic complaints, but tensions have continued to rise. Despite this, Lazaro maintained that the Philippines is committed to resolving these issues through dialogue and cooperation.
She stressed that both countries have signed the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which sets out the legal framework for maritime disputes. According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, China’s activities in the region are “inconsistent” with UNCLOS and the recently passed Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
During the meeting, the two sides also discussed a separate issue involving the Philippines’ resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era ship stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, another disputed area.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels have been blocking Philippine ships from resupplying the ship, leading to confrontations in the past. In July, the two countries reached a provisional agreement to ease tensions in this area, although details of the agreement have not been made public. Lazaro expressed her concerns about China’s actions, saying, “We are not in an arms race. However, we maintain an adequate capacity to accomplish assigned tasks effectively.”
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South China Sea Dispute
The ongoing dispute over the South China Sea is a major source of tension in the region. The Philippines continues to assert its sovereignty over parts of the sea, while China claims most of the waterway, despite a 2016 international ruling that rejected China’s extensive claims. This ruling was issued by an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague, but Beijing has refused to acknowledge it.
In recent days, the Philippine Navy has been conducting military exercises in the South China Sea to assert its sovereign rights over the waters claimed by China. Despite these tensions, both sides have agreed to continue efforts to reduce conflict, including revitalizing their cooperation on marine scientific issues and focusing on ocean meteorology.
