Chinese militia vessels close to Pag-asa Island within the West Philippine Sea should not responding to warnings issued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), its spokesperson stated Tuesday.
On Saturday, the PCG stated Filipino coast guards stationed on the island reported the presence of a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessel, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5203, and 42 suspected Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels.
“Ang coast guard station po natin sa Pag-asa ay patuloy pong tsina-challenge ito over the radio na sinasabi na ang 12 nautical miles ng Pag-asa Island ay territorial Sea ng Pilipinas at tayo ay may sovereignty dito,” PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela stated throughout a public briefing.
(Our coast guard in Pag-asa island challenged [the intrusion] over the radio as it’s inside 12 nautical miles of the island, which is a territory of the Philippines.)
“Ganon pa rin po ang ginagawa ng China, sila naman po ay hindi nag re-responde sa tawag ng ating coast guard personnel,” he added.
(China didn’t budge, in addition they didn’t reply to the calls of our coast guard personnel.)
Meanwhile, Tarriela stated the PLA and different maritime militia vessels are nonetheless there.
“Ang coast guard vessels po natin at ang mga coast guard personnel na naka destino po sa bawat isla sa West Philippine Sea ay patuloy po ang pag challenge sa mga Chinese maritime militia, China coast guard vessel na umiikot po,” he stated.
(Our coast guard personnel positioned within the islands of the West Philippine Sea proceed to problem the Chinese maritime militia nonetheless within the space.)
In 2013, the Philippines challenged China’s authorized foundation for its huge declare within the South China Sea earlier than the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.
Manila received the case in a landmark award in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing’s assertions.
China, nonetheless, stays aggressive in its declare. Last month, a Chinese ship pointed a “military-grade” laser gentle at one in every of its vessels supporting a Philippine Navy rotation and resupply mission. The act was described by the Defense Department as “offensive and unsafe”.
The Philippines has since filed a diplomatic protest towards China on the matter. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
