THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it “firmly and strongly rejects” the claim of the Chinese Embassy in Manila that China has sovereign rights over the waters off Batanes.
The DFA issued the statement after the embassy alleged that the Philippine Coast Guard on Thursday harassed the Chinese research vessel Jia Hai Ke 7 that was detected approximately 37 nautical miles northwest of Itbayat, Batanes.
The Jia Hai Ke 7 was conducting normal scientific operations in waters under China’s jurisdiction, the embassy said.
“The Philippine Coast Guard’s harassment of the Chinese research vessel infringes upon China’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the relevant waters, violates international law... and endangers the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel,” it said.
The DFA countered that the Chinese ship was operating well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, foreign vessels cannot conduct scientific surveys within a coastal state’s EEZ without prior permission.
“The Philippines did not receive any request from the Chinese side, and no consent has been given to any Chinese vessel” to conduct such a survey, the DFA said.
“We strongly call on China to fulfill its obligations under international law and avoid actions that are counterproductive and undermine efforts to rebuild mutual trust,” it said.
In a related development, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. described himself as an “advocate, not a diplomat,” and his role requires him to resist unlawful interference with Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“I’m an advocate. As we’ve said, this is why Secretary Lazaro has a difficult time with me,” Teodoro said in an interview, referring to Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro.
He acknowledged that his approach differs from that of diplomats, who he said operate within established structures and place importance on keeping dialogue open.
“They’re diplomats. I’m not. They work within certain structures, and I understand that because keeping dialogue open is quite important to them,” Teodoro said.
His main concern, he said, is “resisting unlawful interference in the Philippines.”
The mandate of the Department of National Defense (DND) is to preserve and defend the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty against internal and external threats, Teodoro said.
His remarks came after his widely reported exchange with a Chinese position statement during a defense forum in South Korea, where he challenged Beijing’s rejection of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling.
Teodoro said the confrontation was not something he had deliberately planned. He initially thought the note handed to him was a routine message from his team or the event organizers.
After reading it, however, he recognized it as China’s standard position rejecting the arbitral ruling and decided that he had to respond.
Teodoro said the Philippines could not simply ignore claims it considers false because doing so could allow them to become accepted as fact.
He also rejected suggestions that his statements were unnecessarily provocative, saying his approach was in response to China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.
He made it clear that the Philippines was not seeking war but needed to strengthen its defense capabilities and alliances to deter illegal incursions and protect its maritime interests.
That maritime-security effort, he said, must also take into account the Filipino fishermen whose livelihoods are being affected by tensions at sea.
“We have to help our fishermen,” Teodoro said, noting the need to upgrade the vessels they use and their ability to peserve their catch.
The DND, he said, is coordinating with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to strengthen the capabilities of fishing communities operating in affected maritime areas.
“We should have bigger fishing vessels and refrigeration,” Teodoro said.
