Philippines warns China of 'severest response' if exercises reach PHL seas

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday warned China of the Philippines' "severest response" if it would conduct military exercises in Philippine territory in the South China Sea.

The statement came after China's Maritime Safety Administration on June 27 issued Navigation Notice No. 00-69 on the conduct of military exercises by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the contested waters,  particularly off Paracel Islands from July 1 to 5, 2020 and banning navigation in the area.

"The Chinese naval military exercises, if they stick to their coordinates, do not impinge on Philippine territory. These exercises are taking place in waters off Xisha Islands —the Paracels — over which Vietnam claims sovereignty.  Should the exercises spill over to Philippine territory then China is forewarned that it will be met with the severest response, diplomatic and whatever else is appropriate," said Locsin in a strongly-worded video statement.

"My standing instruction to the Department of Foreign Affairs is that countries, which for now lack the puissance to respond appropriately to challenges to their territorial integrity, must aim for accuracy in law and in geography."

From the said dates, China's maritime directive said that no vessel would be allowed to navigate within the prescribed area and all vessels should follow the guidance of the commanding Chinese ship onsite.

China’s unilateral action is seen to further inflame tensions and seriously complicates the disputes in the South China Sea, where Beijing insists historical and indisputable sovereignty nearly in its entirety.

China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan are locked in decades- long territorial conflict in the waters, where oil and gas deposits have been discovered in several areas.

The South China Sea territorial disputes are crucial to Asian and Western governments, which use the strategic waters to transport their oil and other inputs that power their economies.

"At a time like this, one would think that simulated military exercises would be more in keeping with the spirit of friendly cooperation that China has encouraged everyone to take.  On the practical side, there are the open seas. Unless again the purpose is to establish a perennial and unchallenged presence that may in time congeal into right," Locsin said.

"To be sure China is just as entitled, as any other power, to invoke freedom of navigation in its military exercises.  But that freedom, it bears reminding, requires a straight and uninterrupted voyage."

In its bid to exert control over the contested waters, China announced on April 18 that its so-called districts of “Nansha” and “Xisha" will have authority over the Spratlys and the Paracels, respectively, under the authority of the local government in Sansha, a city in the southern island of Hainan.

Beijing also gave Chinese names to the features in the disputed waters. Both moves were rejected by Manila, calling it illegal and an infringement of Philippine sovereignty.

"The creation of Sansha City is null and void ab initio for being devoid of basis in international law. This is the problem with playing fast and loose with historical narratives and historical names; they open themselves to error; unless the real purpose is to excuse unchallenged mistakes that may over time harden into rights," Locsin said.

As the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, Locsin called on all parties "to refrain from escalating tension and abide by the responsibilities under international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

UNCLOS is a maritime treaty signed by 163 nations, including the Philippines and China.

He also called for adherence to the 2002 Declaration of the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea, particularly the exercise of self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.-NB, GMA News