Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 22) — The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has denied Chinese militia vessels were present in the West Philippine Sea’s Julian Felipe Reef, saying those were just fishing vessels.
In a statement attributed to the embassy’s spokesperson and posted on its Facebook page on Monday, the embassy said such speculations caused nothing but “unnecessary irritation.”
“Niu’e Jiao (Julian Felipe Reef) is a part of China’s Nansha Qundao,” the statement said, referring to the administrative district established by Beijing in the South China Sea. “Chinese fishing vessels have been fishing in its adjacent waters for many years.”
“Recently, some Chinese fishing vessels take shelter near Niu’e Jiao due to rough sea conditions,” it continued. “It has been a normal practice for Chinese fishing vessels to take shelter under such circumstances. There is no Chinese Maritime Militia as alleged. Any speculation in such helps nothing but causes unnecessary irritation. It is hoped that the situation could be handled in an objective and rational manner.”
On Sunday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said a diplomatic protest was filed over the presence of over 200 Chinese maritime militia vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef.
The reef is within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone and is claimed by China and Vietnam, but an arbitral tribunal in The Hague recognized the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone. However, China rejects the landmark ruling.
The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea on Saturday said it received a report that around 220 Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted on March 7 at the Julian Felipe Reef.
According to the task force, the incident reported by the Philippine Coast Guard was a cause for concern since the vessels at the time were not seen conducting fishing activities and their white lights were turned on during nighttime.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also expressed alarm over the sighting, saying the presence of the Chinese vessels is a “clear provocative action of militarizing the area.”
He stressed that under international law and the 2016 arbitral ruling, Filipinos have the sole right to resources in territories within the country’s EEZ and continental shelf.
Statement by Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines on the Presence of Alleged Chinese Maritime Militia…
Posted by Chinese Embassy Manila on Monday, March 22, 2021
