What exactly is the nature and scope of the supposed “understanding” between the Philippines and China with regard to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, where our government deliberately grounded a derelict Navy vessel, the BRP Sierra Madre, years back to serve as an outpost for our military in the West Philippine Sea?
What’s very clear at this point is that it is very vague in nature and scope, and neither side is talking. Is there an NDA or non-disclosure agreement by the two sides? We really don’t know.
The DFA previously said both parties to the “understanding” recognized the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea through dialogues and consultations “without prejudice to their respective positions.”
The DFA said after the latest Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting with their Chinese counterparts that amid recent incidents in the South China Sea, “both sides recognized that there is a need to restore trust, rebuild confidence, and create conditions conducive to productive dialogue and interaction.”
Our guess is the ‘understanding’ or provisional arrangement between Beijing and Manila is all about the regular rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions by our Navy and Coast Guard to Ayungin Shoal.
The Chinese side apparently wants the Philippines to inform them ahead of the date and time our Navy/Coast Guard vessel would conduct a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre where a small contingent of our soldiers are stationed on a rotating basis.
Then the Chinese also want to be able to inspect every vessel on the way to Ayungin Shoal to determine whether it is carrying construction materials to repair the derelict Navy vessel.
Both conditions, as far as we can ascertain, have been rejected by Manila, but maybe the purported “understanding” could have been an agreement to do away with one or both conditions.
Our Department of Foreign Affairs has been conspicuously and deafeningly silent on this issue. Are they playing a game of diplomatic brinkmanship with their Beijing counterparts to gain a clear advantage later on?
Recently, however, the newly designated spokesperson of the National Maritime Council, Alexander Lopez, was quoted in a news report as saying the Philippines is “seriously studying” whether it should expand its recently formed agreement with China regarding the Ayungin Shoal to cover other areas of the West Philippine Sea.
His statement came after China Coast Guard ships rammed two Philippine Coast Guard vessels conducting a routine logistics mission within the vicinity of Escoda Shoal.
If the Chinese Coast Guard idea of an “understanding” is to intentionally ram our Coast Guard vessels bringing food and supplies to our Marine contingent in Ayungin Shoal protecting our maritime claim in our Exclusive Economic Zone, that’s not genuine de-escalation of the tension in the South China sea but a hostile act by Beijing that deserves condemnation by the international community.
