"Let's move and move quickly."
As we greet the Filipino Chinese community and the Chinese people worldwide Kung Hei Fat Choi, it is our hope that they will continue to contribute to the peace and betterment of the world. Now that China has surpassed all expectations becoming the second biggest economy in the world and lifting almost 50 percent of its 1.3-billion population from the clutches of poverty in just over three decades, it behooves the Chinese leadership and its people to contribute their own share in lifting struggling peoples and nations the world over abiding, as they have always sworn, by the five principles of good neighborliness foremost being non-intervention in the internal affairs of nations.
Having said as much, I will have to laud Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana for joining Foreign Affairs Secretary TeddyBoy Locsin in protesting the reported setting up of a " maritime rescue center" by China in the disputed islands it is occupying in the West Philippine Sea. That "rescue center" may benefit fishermen and even ships passing through that busy passage, as presidential spokesman and Legal Counsel Sal Panelo advised shortly after the news went out. That is well and good. But the same should be built on any island officially recognized as China's territory. Not on any of the disputed areas.
Building the same in any of the disputed "rocks" (as the UNCLOS Tribunal described the disputed protrusions in the sea) at this time can only invite protest from the other claimants in the area. And besides, it is a clear affront on a friendly country like the Philippines which has been bending over backward just so the Chinese moves in the West Philippine Sea can be accommodated. That diplomatic protest should issue tomorrow at the latest. We should not wait any minute longer to show our displeasure over this unwelcome move no matter how feverish Panelo's defense is.
For if truth be told, the build up in those areas (Fiery Cross reef, Johnson reef, Cameron reef and other features in the area) remains in serious dispute no matter that China has already reclaimed and expanded these "rocks" in its attempt to transform these into "islands under occupation" and which it can then claim sovereignty after. So, we should not be a party to furthering their claims and transforming these areas officially into ïslands under China's sovereign control." We should not do that at all.
And setting up a "maritime rescue center" without as much as a bye to the Philippines, the protestee in the UNCLOS Tribunal, and the UNitself is already another step toward such a transformation. The decision of the Tribunel is very clear, these "rocks" cannot be claimed as "islands"and therefore not entitled to having "exclusive economic zone" and even continental shelf.
For example, in the case of Kagitingan Reef (Fiery Cross Reef), the Tribunal concluded: " Fiery Cross in its natural condition was encumbered by a rock that remained exposed at high tide and accordingly a high tide feature." Having a high tide feature one has some of the legal entitlements of an island such as generating a "territorial sea" but is far from being an island. By international convention, an island is a high tide feature which can sustain habitation and economic life of its own. An island can then claim an exclusive economic zone and a continental shelf—features which as we have mentioned earlier we should prevent from happening at all by any means. As such, we should as we have always protested, China's effort to "build, build, build" in the West Philippine Sea as it can transform “rocks"into islands in no time at all. How to go about the protest and how feverish should such be is something which President Duterte and his Cabinet should determine.
For now, we can only contend ourselves with diplomatic protests and
similar initiatives in other fora knowing fully well as President Duterte has so often advised we cannot go to war or engage in any other aggressive behavior which we will only regret later.
But protest? Let's move and move quickly.