Source: The Daily Tribune
Amid fresh tensions in a seething maritime territorial row, the Philippine government has recalled its ambassador to China for consultations, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said.
Ambassador Erlinda Basilio flew back to Manila as the Defense department this week accused China of laying 75 concrete blocks on disputed territory in the South China Sea, DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said.
“She was asked to come home for consultations, and she will (be in Manila) for the next few days,” he told reporters.
“She was asked to come home for consultations, and she will (be in Manila) for the next few days,” he told reporters.
According to Hernandez, Basilio is advising Philippine officials on how to handle the alleged Chinese actions at Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, located only about 220 kilometers off Zambales province, within the country’s internationally recognized exclusive economic zone.
Defense officials have expressed concern the Chinese block-laying could be a prelude to building structures at the shoal.
Scarborough is about 650 kilometers from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese land mass.
Asked if Manila would lodge a diplomatic protest or undertake other options, Hernandez said: “We are still studying the matter.”
The concrete blocks have raised concerns in Manila that China could be planning to construct in the waters, as it did in Mischief Reef, a rich fishing ground within Philippine territory off South China Sea that came under Beijing’s control in 1995.
China, for its part, insisted it has sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal, which continues to be guarded by its surveillance ships.
“Huangyan Island is China’s inherent territory,” Chinese Embassy spokesman Zhang Hua said in a statement quoting China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.
Huangyan Island is China’s name for Scarborough Shoal.
Philippine officials said the presence of the concrete blocks inside the shoal is a violation of a 2002 non-binding accord on the South China Sea. The pact calls on all claimants to exercise restraint, stop occupation of new territories and prevent them from building new structures.
China’s statement, however, did not clearly address the Philippine allegations in detail, merely saying: “What the Philippines said is untrue.”
The shoal, it added, is “within China’s legitimate rights and interests and beyond dispute.”
“Given the current situation, Chinese government ships maintain routine patrol in the waters off the Huangyan Island to safeguard the sovereignty over the Huangyan Island and keep order in relevant waters,” it added.
Relatedly, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin yesterday met and discussed territorial issues with visiting Minister Ichita Yamamoto of Japan, which also has territorial dispute with China.
At a briefing after their meeting in Camp Aguinaldo, Yamamoto, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories and Minister-in-Charge of Ocean Policy and Territorial Issues of Japan, said he had a “very frank” discussion with Gazmin.
Yamamoto also met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
“In my meeting with the Foreign secretary and Defense secretary, I clearly and precisely explained Japan’s position on Senkaku Islands. Please allow me to refrain from the details of the discussion we had because we had a very frank discussion,” said Yamamoto, through an interpreter.
Japan is disputing Senkaku islands with China in the East China Sea.
“However, we agreed upon that any country should not try to change the status quo unilaterally by force. We also agreed that the rule of law is very important in this region and in maritime domain.
Yamamoto also stressed the need for a close cooperation between Japan and the Philippines in promoting the rule of law in the region.
“We also agreed that the establishment of the rule of law is a very important agenda which requires the close cooperation between Japan and the Philippines and we would like to continue to cooperate with the Philippines in order to send strong messages to the international community,” he added.
Asked what were the important points of his discussion with Gazmin, Yamamoto replied “Secretary Gazmin told me the concern. We shared the Philippine situations and concerns and we had a very frank discussion.”
“…we shared the view that any country should not pursue to change status quo unilaterally by force…and also we agreed that both country should cooperate with each other to send strong messages to international community,” Yamamoto said.
“…we shared the view that any country should not pursue to change status quo unilaterally by force…and also we agreed that both country should cooperate with each other to send strong messages to international community,” Yamamoto said.
Gazmin, for his part, emphasized the Philippines’ position of addressing the South China Sea issue in accordance with international law, hence, the arbitral proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
By Mario J. Mallari, AFP and PNA
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