Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — About a month after President Rodrigo Duterte’s state visit to China, Filipino fishing boats continue to stay on the fringes of Scarborough Shoal. The Chinese Coast Guard is still blocking passage into the lagoon.
But some small boats are able to sneak in and out because they can cross the shallow barrier without running aground. And it looks like the Chinese are letting this slide.
Philippine Ambassador-designate to China Chito Sta. Romana said Thursday this was part of an agreement between President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“They both agreed that within the lagoon, this should be the spawning ground for fish, and therefore, fishing should be around,” Sta. Romana said.
He added that even Chinese fishermen are barred from the shoal. Small boats roam free because they don’t cause much harm.
But large blue ships can be seen around the shoal — Filipino fishermen find this curious, to say the least.
Sta. Romana explained the blue ships are fishing trawlers, tapped by the Chinese government as maritime militia: “So instead of navy, they’re basically using coast guard and the blue ships… That’s their way of asserting their claim.”
Filipino fishermen also noticed a part of the shoal got deeper than they remember from four years ago, before the Chinese blockade. Sta. Romana said it might be the work of Chinese poachers. Earlier reports indicate that harvesting giant clams from the shoal caused considerable damage to the shoal.
These are signs the West Philippine Sea dispute is far from over, even as Filipinos can now — to some extent — enter Scarborough Shoal.
“It is a small concession to make for a big strategic gain. So if ever they agree to it, it is not because it’s a favor to us. It’s because it’s to their strategic interest,” Sta. Romana said.
For Sta. Romana, China — by softening its grip on the shoal — gains goodwill from erstwhile antagonistic nations like the Philippines. As for the Philippines, better ties with China is also an advantage — it’s easier to negotiate with a friend than with an enemy.
