China accused of infringing on Philippine territorial waters

China accused of infringing on Philippine territorial waters

Web Desk
November 2, 2023

China accused of infringing on Philippine territorial waters

China was accused of infringing on Philippine territorial waters.
This claim was made in response to an incident involving military vessels.
The Philippines has consistently demanded the departure of Chinese vessels.

The Philippine foreign ministry lodged an accusation against China on Thursday, asserting that China had encroached into Philippine waters.

This claim was made in response to an incident involving military vessels from both countries at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea earlier in the week.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) dismissed the Chinese military’s assertion that a Philippine military ship had “illegally entered” waters near the Scarborough Shoal, emphasizing that such a claim lacks legal validity and only contributes to escalating tensions in the disputed area.

In a statement, the foreign ministry stated, “It is China that is intruding into Philippine waters.”

The Scarborough Shoal is a point of contention, with the Philippines and China asserting their claims.

However, no definitive sovereignty has been established, and it has effectively remained under Beijing’s control since it seized it from Manila in 2012.

The DFA contends that the shoal, known as “Bajo de Masinloc,” falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, granting the country sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

The foreign ministry further stated that the Philippines has consistently demanded the departure of Chinese vessels from Bajo de Masinloc.

The shoal was the subject of an arbitration claim filed by Manila at an international tribunal situated 200 kilometers (124 miles) off the coast of the Philippines.

The tribunal ruled that China’s claim to 90% of the South China Sea lacked a basis in international law in 2016. Nevertheless, China has refused to acknowledge this ruling.

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