Philippines says China’s maritime-related proposals run contrary to its interests

MANILA – The Philippine Foreign Ministry said on March 12 that it had received several maritime-related proposals from China, but added they could not be considered as they were against Manila’s national interests.

Tensions between Manila and Beijing over disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea have heightened in recent months.

Last week, the Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of firing water cannons at one of its vessels involved in a resupply mission in the area, injuring four naval personnel.

Among the latest proposals from China was one where it “insisted on actions that would be deemed as acquiescence or recognition of China’s control and administration over the Ayungin Shoal” and the Philippines could not consider such a proposal “without violating the Constitution or international law”, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

Ayungin is the Philippines’ name for the Second Thomas Shoal, which China calls Renai Reef.

The DFA was responding to a Manila Times article quoting an unnamed “ranking Chinese official” as saying that Beijing’s proposals to normalise the situation in disputed areas in the South China Sea were “met with inaction” by the Philippine government.

“From the outset, DFA wishes to underscore that the Philippines is approaching these confidential negotiations with utmost sincerity and good faith,” it said. “We were, therefore, surprised by China’s disclosure of sensitive details of our bilateral discussions.”

China presented 11 concept papers that proposed to manage the Second Thomas Shoal and

fishing issues in Scarborough Shoal,

among others, The Manila Times reported, quoting the Chinese official.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has deployed vessels to patrol the disputed atolls which lie within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

In the latest incident when water cannons were used, China said Philippine vessels illegally intruded so it had to take control measures.

Despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which found that China’s expansive claims had no legal basis, China maintains it “has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands”.

“China and the Philippines have no territorial disputes in the South China Sea,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on March 12.

Mr Wang said China has put forward initiatives to the Philippines “to control the maritime situation and work together”. “This shows our sincerity and goodwill. Unfortunately, the Philippines didn’t reply, but made provocations and infringements in the South China Sea, undermining the atmosphere of cooperation.”

The Philippines did not ignore China’s proposals, the DFA said, adding it submitted counter-proposals to which China responded by presenting its own counter-proposals that “did not reflect our interests on issues such as the South China Sea”. REUTERS