DFA keeping an eye on South China Sea, but will not publicize every move

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday reiterated that it will continue to monitor the developments in the South China Sea but emphasize that it will not publicize its every response to the diplomatic row.

"While appropriate language, whether expressions of condemnation or concern, over certain developments are clearly conveyed through diplomatic channels, it is not our policy to publicize every action taken by the Philippine Government whenever there are reported developments taking place in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea," it stated.

The DFA claimed that the department and other relevant agencies are "taking the appropriate diplomatic action necessary to protect our claims and will continue to do so in the future."

“We reiterate our commitment to protect every single inch of our territory and areas which we have sovereign rights over," the DFA said.

"Fighting for our rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and under our present strategy, we intend to achieve much more, including, but not limited to, an effective comprehensive Code of Conduct that will promote peace, cooperation, and stability in the West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea," they wrote.

Moving forward, the DFA said, a different approach will be taken to avoid any drawbacks as it seeks to advance the Philippines' interest in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

The DFA made the reiteration days after China landed an H-6K bomber aircraft on its man-made islands in waters awarded to the Philippines by an international arbitral tribunal.

President Rodrigo Duterte insisted a day later that pressing the Philippines' claims to the waters will mean "trouble" and claimed he is making efforts to address the situation.

China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over 90 percent of the waters, where undersea gas, oil and mineral deposits have been discovered in several areas. China has also claimed and developed some features within the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing has refused to honor the Netherlands-based international arbitral tribunal ruling that invalidated its massive claim. The case was filed by Manila in 2013 under then President Benigno Aquino III after China seized the Manila-clamed Scarborough Shoal following months of standoff with the Philippines.

Contrary to Aquino, President Rodrigo Duterte made friendly overtures to China. His decision to set aside the country's arbitration victory over South China Sea territories has improved Manila’s relations with China and allowed Filipino fishermen to return to the Scarborough Shoal as promise of huge development assistance poured in from Beijing.

Over the recent years, China has taken a more aggressive stance in the tense waters, beefing up its reclamation activities in disputed areas and transformed previously submerged features into artificial islands with multi-level buildings and runways. It has also installed surface-to-air missiles in these areas, triggering concerns from countries, such as the US, Japan and Australia.

The Duterte administration has avoided criticizing such actions.

Competing claims over the waters have sparked occasional violence and now regarded as a potential flashpoint for armed conflict. —Rie Takumi and Michaela del Callar/KG, GMA News