The Philippine government may again seek international adjudication for dealing with China’s unabated aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) but suggested that taking a tougher military stance is no longer out of the question.
On one hand, Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo said his office may soon file another arbitral case against Beijing after a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel intentionally rammed the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Teresa Magbanua at Escoda Shoal on Saturday.
“We have made the necessary approaches to China in terms of contacting them through various means to express our complaint and displeasure at what happened. And not only that, our concern about rising tensions over what was basically just innocent movement by Philippines vessel,” Manalo disclosed.
On the other hand, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Monday that its air and naval presence at Escoda Shoal will increase in response to the growing number of Chinese ships in the coveted water feature.
In an interview, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the WPS, said this move is intended to support law enforcement operations of BRP Teresa Magbanua, which has been stationed at the shoal since April.
“That Filipino ship is standing guard alone there because there are reports of crushed corals being piled there. We are making sure that this event is not a man-made one so that’s why we are maintaining a presence. So far, our Coast Guard is there. The Navy and the Air Force have increased their patrols, by sea and air,” he added.
Trinidad, however, noted that there is currently no need to deploy additional assets to Escoda Shoal.
As of Sunday, Trinidad reported that there are three CCG vessels, two People’s Liberation Army-Navy ships, one Chinese hospital ship, one research vessel, and 47 maritime militia boats positioned around BRP Teresa Magbanua.
China’s apparent attempt to run the Philippines out of its own Exclusive Economic Zone came after Manila and Beijing agreed to de-escalate tensions in the disputed waters.
As this developed, the Group of Seven (G7) countries and other allied states have expressed support for the Philippines amid China’s belligerent posturing in the WPS.
In a statement, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller recounted multiple incidents throughout August 2024, where the People’s Republic of China (PRC) aggressively interfered with lawful Philippine aerial and maritime operations in the South China Sea, particularly around Sabina Shoal.
“The PRC’s unlawful claims of “territorial sovereignty” over ocean areas where no land territory exists, and its increasingly aggressive actions to enforce them, threaten the freedoms of navigation and overflight of all nations,” Miller recounted.
He reiterated the United States’ unwavering commitment to the Philippines, reaffirming that Article IV of the 1951 United States-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty “covers armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft—including those of its Coast Guard—anywhere in the South China Sea.”
The European Union (EU) also released a statement supporting the Philippines, denouncing the incident as an “endangerment to the safety of life at sea” and a violation of the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, rights that all nations are entitled to under international law.
“The EU condemns all unlawful, escalatory and coercive actions that undermine these principles of international law and threaten peace and stability in the region. The European Union calls for de-escalation of tensions, and remains committed to supporting its partners seeking to exercise their legitimate rights, in the region and beyond,” EU emphasized.
Japan, South Korea, France, Australia, and New Zealand jointly called for respect for international law, including the UNCLOS, and adherence to the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“Another unacceptable development around Sabina Shoal. Any harassment & actions which increase tensions or obstruct freedom of navigation are not tolerated,” the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines said in an X post.
“This latest incident, with a CCG vessel ramming a Philippine vessel, is profoundly troubling and fits a recent pattern of dangerous and destabilizing actions in the region,” New Zealand declared.
