The Stratbase ADR Institute on Monday denounced China’s acts of aggression against Philippine vessels, following another incident in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) involving a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel near Pag-asa Island.
The think tank said the October 12 incident — which occurred less than a month after a Bajo de Masinloc confrontation that injured a Filipino crew member — showed “a dangerous and escalating pattern of aggression” by Chinese forces.
According to reports, a CCG vessel fired water cannons and deliberately rammed a BFAR ship conducting humanitarian operations within the country’s exclusive economic zone, causing damage to the vessel and endangering Filipino personnel.
“The growing frequency and intensity of these incidents are deeply alarming,” the Stratbase Institute said in a statement.
“They demonstrate a dangerous and escalating pattern of aggression. Moreover, they underscore that the true source of instability in the region is Beijing’s continued disregard for international law, including the 2016 arbitral award,” it added.
The Institute stated such behavior “cannot be normalized or tolerated” and must be countered with “firm, coordinated, and decisive measures” to stop China’s coercive actions.
“With international law on our side, we call on the Philippine government to stand resolute in defending our sovereign rights and to hold China fully accountable for its actions,” it said.
The Stratbase Institute also urged the government to bolster deterrence by strengthening defense partnerships with like-minded nations and accelerating the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
“At a time like this, we value the support of our like-minded partners in reinforcing the binding nature of UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award and in underscoring the primacy of the rules-based international order,” the Institute added.
