Still ‘no breakthrough’ in Panatag Shoal talks – Chinese official

“No breakthrough.”

 

This was how Chinese Embassy Political Counselor Bai Tian briefly described the result of talks between Philippine and Chinese diplomats on Monday afternoon to try to resolve the standoff at the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

 

Tian and other Chinese Embassy officials met with Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Erlinda Basilio for 45 minutes to address the issue. Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing declined to give a statement to the media after the meeting.

 

During a press conference before the meeting, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez said local diplomats will ask their Chinese counterparts in the meeting why the eight Chinese vessels caught allegedly poaching in Philippine waters left without surrendering the marine species they collected. China also claimed the area as theirs. 'Taken aback'

 

Hernandez said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was personally “taken aback” by this decision from China.

 

“Our position is that it is part of our territory and we have the right to be there,” Hernandez said Monday.

 

Hernandez added that Del Rosario was also “disappointed” with China’s move to “harass” an archeological research vessel from Saranggani conducting a study at the shoal.

 

“They [Chinese authorites] have been calling and asked us to leave the area,” he added.

 

He further said that the DFA hopes the standoff will not drag on for long.

 

“We are talking about a standoff... We believe we have to resolve this as soon as possible. We can not prolong this situation… We need to resolve this immediately,” Hernandez said.

 

Standoff

 

The Panatag Shoal is a triangle of small islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) circling a lagoon of 150 square kilometers. It is part of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, which is mandated by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

 

Although both the Philippines and China are signatories to the UNCLOS, China continues to claim ownership of the shoal, saying it was first discovered in the 13th century during the Yuan Dynasty.

 

The standoff between Philippine and Chinese vessels at the Panatag Shoal began a week ago when Philippine Navy officials caught eight Chinese vessels allegedly poaching on waters near the shoal.

 

Before the Philippine Navy could arrest the fishermen, however, two Chinese maritime vessels blocked its path.

 

Following talks between Del Rosario and Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing, the eight Chinese fishing vessels already left the area, but the marine species were not confiscated.

 

One of the Chinese surveillance ships initially left the area on Saturday, but returned to the shoal within a few hours.

 

Last week, President Benigno Aquino III directed Foreign Affairs officials to work towards peaceful solution to the dispute at the Panatag Shoal. On Monday, more than 4,000 American troops joined their Filipino counterparts for a series of military exercises, which Philippine government officials stressed are not meant to provoke China. — RSJ, GMA News