A senior official of the Stratbase Institute has rejected claims by the Chinese Embassy in Manila labeling the Philippines as the “provoker” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In a statement issued late Sunday, Stratbase Institute President Victor Andres Manhit said the allegations were “attempts to invert reality.”
“The facts are consistent and well-documented: it is China’s maritime forces that repeatedly employ coercive and dangerous acts at sea, including water cannons, aggressive maneuvers, and ramming incidents that have damaged Philippine vessels and harmed even Filipino civilians,” Manhit said.
“Under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the 2016 Arbitral Award is final and binding on the parties and rejected China’s expansive ‘historic rights’ claims. Respect for international law, not rhetorical accusations, is the only durable foundation for stability,” he added.
Manhit said calls for “restraint” sound hollow when Chinese maritime forces are reported continuing their harassment against Philippine ships and fisherfolk, whose livelihoods depend on waters international law recognizes within the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.
He reminded China that deescalation begins when coercion ends.
“We likewise stress that economic ties cannot be invoked to excuse violations of sovereign rights; Philippine data show a persistent trade imbalance that does not erase accountability. The Philippines maintains strong and mutually beneficial economic partnerships with many countries, and none of these partners assert their interests through intimidation, coercion, or the use of force at sea.”
In addition, Manhit said Stratbase supports dialogue and a meaningful Code of Conduct, but any agreement must be anchored in the UNCLOS and consistent with the 2016 award.
“Proposals that constrain lawful partnerships, exercises, or resource development are not confidence-building measures; they are attempts to curtail the Philippines’ sovereign choices,” he said.
Manhit further noted that peace will not be secured by silencing the victim, but by ending the wrongdoing and upholding the rule of law.
