MANILA 11 December 2023 – The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned today Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to convey the strong protest of the Philippine Government against the back-to-back aggressive and harassing actions undertaken by Chinese forces against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea over the weekend.
DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro verbally delivered the protest against the Chinese dangerous maneuvers that led to collision, illegal shadowing and undue use of water cannons against the rotation and resupply mission undertaken by the Philippines yesterday in the Ayungin Shoal for the Philippine Government detachment in the BRP Sierra Madre.
The DFA reiterated to the Chinese Ambassador that Ayungin Shoal is not an island. It is a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf, in accordance with UNCLOS and as upheld by the 2016 Arbitral Award. As such, the Philippines exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the feature. As a low-tide elevation, Ayungin Shoal can neither be the subject of a sovereignty claim nor is it capable of appropriation under international law.
Undersecretary Lazaro also emphasized that the Philippines’ resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre are part of the regular operations of the Philippine Government in line with domestic and international law. She stressed that China has no right to interfere with the Philippines’ legitimate activities in the Philippines’ own EEZ, including in the waters around Ayungin Shoal. The actions of the Chinese vessels within the Philippine EEZ are illegal and violate the freedom of navigation.
The Philippine Government firmly asked China to immediately undertake the following actions:
(1) direct its vessels to cease and desist from its illegal actions against Philippines vessels, and to stop interfering in legitimate Philippine Government activities, or lingering in waters around Ayungin Shoal, and doing any action that violates the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone;
(2) comply with its obligations under international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, the 2016 Award in the South China Sea Arbitration, and the 1972 COLREGS; and
(3) adhere to its commitments under the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
The DFA likewise expressed the Philippines government’s strong protest against China’s conduct of dangerous maneuvers and use of water cannons against three (3) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels, the Datu Sanday, Datu Bankaw and Datu Tamblot, which were engaged in a humanitarian and support mission to provide fuel and grocery packages to Filipino fishermen who are only trying to fish in their traditional fishing ground of Bajo de Masinloc.
The same messages were likewise conveyed by the DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs the previous day. END
