Gov’t execs, lawmakers slam Chinese disinformation on WPS

The Philippines remains in control of Sandy Cay, which is near Pag-asa Island where Filipino troops are stationed, as government officials on Monday slammed an “irresponsible” Chinese state media report claiming the area was under Beijing’s control.

National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said China’s fake claim that it seized the cays was part of its “gray-zone operations” in a bid to “dominate” the information space.

“As we all know, the information space nowadays is also a battleground. So, it’s really a matter of trying to dominate the information, the narrative. It is really in the interest of the PRC if they are able to utilize the information space to intimidate and harass. This is also one form of gray-zone operations on the part of the PRC,” he said.

“The facts on the ground do not support this statement coming from the China Coast Guard, therefore, we urge the People’s Republic of China and the CCG to act with restraint and not increase tensions in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

For his part, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela his China’s disinformation strategy.

“[When] the Chinese government plans out its strategy, it always starts with a lie. And if we don’t counter the lie, they’re going to operationalize that lie and take possession of whatever narrative they have,” he said.

He said debunking false claims would prevent normalizing China’s disinformation efforts.

Malaya urged China to stop all provocative activities in the West Philippine Sea, uphold international law and help reduce tensions.

“We urge the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Coast Guard to maintain the status quo in the WPS, consistent again with the 2002 Declaration of Conduct, which they themselves adhere to and which they themselves continue to refer to in each and every statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry,” he said.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro added: “We assure the public of President Marcos’ unwavering dedication to defending our territory and maritime rights, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

Lawmakers also condemned China’s attempt to seize Sandy Cay, calling it a violation of Philippine sovereignty and international laws.

“The photoshoot gimmick and supposed planting of the Chinese flag on Sandy Cay is just another spectacle orchestrated by Beijing. No self-respecting State would take it to mean that China now has sovereign rights over it,” Senator Risa Hontiveros said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada added: “If these claims are proven to be unfounded, it is yet another attempt to distort the reality of the situation and spread fake news.”

Speaker Martin Romualdez said no fabricated display can undermine the Philippines’ legitimate sovereignty over its territory and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“I strongly denounce the latest actions of the China Coast Guard in and around Sandy Cay, an area well within the Philippines’ EEZ and unquestionably part of Philippine sovereignty. The Filipino people will not be bullied in our own backyard,” Romualdez said.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Saturday that China’s coast guard had “implemented maritime control” over Tiexian Reef, part of Sandy Cay, in mid-April.

The Philippines and China have been engaged in months of confrontations over the South China Sea, which Beijing claims nearly in its entirety despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

CCTV published a photograph of four coast guard officials posing with a national flag on the reef’s white surface, in what the broadcaster described as a “vow of sovereignty.”

On Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard released its own photo showing Filipino sailors holding the country’s flag over the same disputed reef during an early morning mission the day before.

There do not appear to be any signs that China has permanently occupied or built a structure on the reef, which is a group of small sandbanks in the Spratly Islands.

Beijing’s foreign ministry on Monday reiterated the reef was part of China’s territory and said its moves constituted “rights protection and law enforcement activities.”

Spokesman Guo Jiakun said the steps were “aimed at countering the Philippines’ illegal landing and other acts of infringement and provocation” as well as “firmly safeguarding national territorial sovereignty.”

The US and Philippine militaries are currently conducting joint exercises that Beijing has said constitute a threat to regional stability.

Chinese warships have been spotted in Philippine waters since those bilateral “Balikatan” exercises kicked off last week, with aircraft carrier Shandong reportedly coming within 2.23 nautical miles (about four kilometers) of northern Babuyan Island. With Agence France Presse