There are a total of 173 diplomatic protests filed against China under the administration of President Marcos from July 1, 2022 to August 12, 2024. Of these, 40 protests were lodged in 2024, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza.
The latest diplomatic protest was filed on August 12 against China’s “escalatory” actions involving “risky maneuvers” against Philippine aircraft conducting security operations in Bajo de Masinloc on August 8.
DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo assured that it seeks to diplomatically settle the dispute through peaceful means, in accordance with international law.
“We will [diplomatically] protest this latest move. The President has come out very strongly on this and we will maintain that position,” Manalo stated.
“Tayo, Pilipinas (We, the Philippines), we’re committed. We’ve always said to try and settle disputes or whatever through diplomatic and peaceful means, I don’t know why they did it,” he said.
Manalo clarified that China’s aggressive actions were contradictory to the conclusions of the recent Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) with China to de-escalate tensions in the region.
For China’s part, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian defended the latest actions in Bajo de Masinloc, including the surrounding airspace and waters, as a resolute response to what China considers “illegal claims” in the West Philippine Sea.
Lin asserted that these actions were in line with Chinese laws. “The Chinese military took necessary and lawful measures in response, and their maneuvers at the scene were professional and consistent with Chinese laws and international law,” he said.
“Considering that it sent the military aircraft to Huangyan Dao’s [Scarborough Shoal/ Bajo De Masinloc] airspace during the joint patrol with the US, Australia and Canada in the South China Sea, what the Philippines did with its aircraft was clearly a deliberate provocation,” Lin added.
Lin proceeded to warn the Philippines to “stop infringement” activities in the area as China “will continue to act resolutely in accordance with the law to firmly safeguard its nation’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”
Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, is a triangular chain of reefs and rocks. It is 240 kilometers west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims of several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.
