Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) — Former Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia urged the Philippine government to bring recent incidents in the West Philippine Sea to the United Nations.
Speaking to CNN Philippines, Cuisia said China has been ignoring and rejecting the country’s diplomatic protests for quite some time now.
The former envoy added that the Philippines should gather support from the international community to ask China to comply with international law.
\”We must take more aggressive action in the United Nations that every opportunity we have. We must bring this up in the United Nations show that China refuses to recognize the ruling of the [Permanent Court of Arbitration] at the Hague, even though they are a party to whom clause they signed that treaty,\” Cuisia said.
\”We need to take every opportunity that we must bring it out in the United Nations and to get other nations to support our stand because we keep advocating the rule of law, we talk about the international order, and China being part of the international community must respect our rights. So, I think we must keep hammering it,\” he added.
Cuisia also slammed the statement of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the recent near collision incident in Ayungin Shoal.
Beijing said the move was premeditated and provocative.
\”China talks about being provocative, they are the ones who are taking provocative actions. You know, this is why I’ve said before, we cannot rely on the words of these Chinese diplomats and Chinese officials because they say one thing, and they do something else,\” Cuisia stressed.
US on China’s behavior in West PH Sea: Unacceptable
The US State Department reiterated its support for the Philippines in asserting its rights over the West Philippine Sea.
In a media briefing on Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said China’s actions remain concerning for Washington.
\”This is really a very important issue, and we remain deeply concerned by the [People’s Republic of China’s] continued intimidation and harassment of Philippine vessels as they continue to undertake routine patrols within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. And such actions and behavior on the part of Beijing are truly unacceptable,\” Kritenbrink said.
The US official said the best way forward to prevent similar incidents from happening again is for China to recognize the 2016 Arbitral Ruling and comply with the international law.
\”The best way to prevent such incidents in the future would be for the PRC to make a commitment to uphold the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and to abide by the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, which of course is binding on both parties. We again call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct,\” Kritenbrink said.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has yet to respond or issue a comment on the recent pronouncements of Manila and Washington officials over the South China Sea issue.
