Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 4) – The government is not pressing China to explain its presence in Benham Rise.
Acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over China’s pronouncements that it respects the country’s sovereign rights over Benham Rise.
“I think that’s quite enough because it does indicate that they realize they would need to have permission to be there,” Manalo told a forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.
China has admitted its ship was in an area east of the country but only on innocent passage, saying it recognizes the country’s sovereign rights over Benham Rise. It never explained the ship’s activities.
Reporters asked Manalo why the government is accepting China’s lack of an explanation.
Read more: Esperon: Chinese research on Benham Rise may benefit PH
Manalo said his department already accomplished its task of seeking clarification from China, “and that was how they replied.”
Manalo added, he’s “happy” with China’s response because “it’s quite clear that anytime that they will seek to go to that area to explore, they would need our permission.”
The United Nations declared that Benham Rise, an undersea plateau 135 miles off the coast of Aurora province, is part of the country’s extended continental shelf.
This means the country exercises over the continental shelf sovereign rights to explore and exploit its natural resources. The rules also state that no one may undertake these activities without the express consent of the country.
International maritime law requires foreign researchers to share their findings with the host country – should they be allowed to explore an area.
The Department of Foreign Affairs revealed that China applied for a permit twice to conduct research in Benham Rise since 2015, but these were all rejected as there were no Filipino scientists in the proposed exploration.
Read more: PH denied China’s applications for research in Benham Rise — DFA
The department has yet to reveal whether China’s recent activities in Benham Rise were authorized.
Progress in South China Sea framework
Meanwhile, Manalo said China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are past halfway through drafting the framework for a code of conduct in an even more contentious body of water – the South China Sea.
The code would identify what claimant countries can and cannot do in the disputed waters.
However, Manalo said “China still has the other view.”
“I think China still believes in the position that it shouldn’t be legally binding,” Manalo said.
Manalo agreed that without a legally binding code, China might continue building and arming facilities in the South China Sea.
As for the recently reported plans of Chinese construction in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, Manalo said China has been “pretty clear” Beijing has no official plans to construct anything on Scarborough, also known as Panatag Shoal.
