Philippines protests China over 'trespassing' of Manila's maritime zones

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest Monday against China over its “illegal presence and operations” within Manila’s maritime zones, according to an official statement.

The protest followed the detection of two Chinese Coast Guard vessels on Jan. 5 and 10, along with a helicopter, operating in and around Scarborough Shoal.

China and the Philippines have conflicting claims over the Second Thomas Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

“The escalatory actions of these Chinese vessels and aircraft clearly disregard Philippine and international laws, as their actions are inconsistent with the exercise of freedom of navigation and innocent passage,” said the Philippines’ national maritime council.

Manila and Beijing have overlapping claims in the resource-rich South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

The protest follows a trilateral video call among outgoing US President Joe Biden, Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The leaders discussed maritime security, economic cooperation, and China’s “dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea.”

“The Philippines remains resolute in asserting and protecting its sovereignty,” the council concluded.
However, Beijing defended its actions as lawful.

“China’s patrol and law-enforcement activities in the relevant waters are reasonable, legal, and beyond reproach,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

The Philippines is the oldest US ally in the Asia-Pacific region. The US has access to Filipino military bases on the Southeast Asian archipelago.

Under the Biden administration, Washington has strengthened ties with Japan, the Philippines, and South Korea to counter China’s growing influence in the region.