Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21) — Manila condemned Beijing and its continued harassment over the West Philippine Sea at an international defense conference in Fiji attended by 24 countries and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner said.
\”Pinakita natin yung kung gaano tayong Pilipinas sumusunod sa international rules-based order. Prinisent din yung arbitral ruling (at) illegal claim ng China sa nine-dash line,\” Brawner told reporters on Monday.
[Translation: We showed how the Philippines follows international-rules based order. We also presented the arbitral ruling and China’s illegal nine-dash line claim.]
In 2016, an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled in favor of the Philippines and nullified China’s sweeping claim over the South China Sea.
China, which had a representative at the Fiji conference, reiterated its rejection of the landmark ruling and claimed that they followed international laws, the AFP chief said.
“Pinakita ko don pati yung video nung water cannoning ng ating mga resupply ships, pinakita ko don so nagulat sila [We showed video footage of China’s use of a water cannon on resupply ships, which shocked them]. The world needs to know what’s happening in the South China Sea,” he continued, referring to the Aug. 5 incident in Ayungin Shoal.
READ: Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at PH vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal PCG
Brawner shared that all countries in attendance came to the verbal agreement that rules-based international order must be promoted.
This meant that nations must abide by the UNCLOS and not use violence or coercive, dangerous tactics in promoting its interests, something Manila has accused Beijing of doing.
Meanwhile, it was also at the conference that the AFP denied knowledge of joint patrols over the South China Sea between the US, Australia, and Japan.
