Int'l efforts 'only way' to stop China's aggression in West Philippine Sea —expert

Getting the international community involved in the dispute over the South China Sea is the only way to stop China from increasing its aggressive moves in the West Philippine Sea, an expert said on Tuesday.

In a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ research fellow Dr. Collin Koh said the Philippine should welcome international involvement in the issue.

“China's greatest fear is to internationalize the South China Sea dispute. It’s the only way to prevent China from going beyond what it’s currently doing,” Koh said.

Koh also recommended to the Philippine government to have “coherent” position on the issue and match it with ground actions such as more maritime patrols over the disputed area.

Carl Thayer of the University of New South Wales Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy said the United States will invigorate and modernize its alliances to hold China to account.

For Thayer, the presence of Chinese maritime militia and fishing vessels in Whitsun Reef or Julian Felipe Reef aims to pressure the Philippine government to cut its alliance with the US.

“The present of China's maritime militia and fishing vessels in Whitsun reef, in my opinion, is designed to put pressure on [Philippine President Rodrigo] Duterte who equivocates on whether or not he’s going to terminate the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement),” he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, encouraged unity among ASEAN countries and partnership with the Quad, a strategic dialogue including the United States, Japan, Australia and India, to address the issue.

“Our government must re-think its current alliances – and perhaps its allegiances. We must be consistent and firm in standing up for our national interests,” she said in the same forum.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be kicked out of our own backyard. The West Philippine Sea is part of the patrimony of the Filipino people,” she added.

On March 7, around 220 vessels were spotted in the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea, located at 320 kilometers (200 miles) west of Palawan Island.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has been calling on China to cease all activities in the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese Embassy said that the vessels are only “seeking shelter” near the reef, which they claimed is part of China’s Nansha Islands or Spratlys in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest in connection with the issue.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it has summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the lingering presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.  —KBK, GMA News