National Security Adviser (NSA) Clarita Carlos on Friday urged a regional regulatory fishing settlement with China amid its alleged continued actions within the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Carlos identified that there needs to be a fishing settlement for the meantime because the Code of Conduct within the South China Sea (SCS) has but to be completed.
“Sana matapos na yung balangkas na yun na ginagawa ko para hanggang hindi pa natatapos yung Code of Conduct, na susmaryosep sobrang tagal na talaga yung Code of Conduct na yan, ay yung regulatory fishing agreement muna,” she stated.
(I hope I’ll end my draft because the Code of Conduct, which is already lengthy overdue, will not be but completed. For the meantime, we must always have a fishing settlement.)
With the settlement, Carlos stated all involved nations, not solely China, will resolve on the subject of the declaration of a fishing vacation.
She made the assertion following the reported new constructions and reclamations being made China in some unoccupied options within the WPS. The Chinese embassy in Manila has dismissed the report as “fake news.”
PH-China ties
Carlos stated Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian visited her on Thursday. According to her, she introduced as much as Xilian the “repetitive” issues of the Philippines about China’s actions within the West Philippine Sea.
Carlos stated she instructed the Xilian that China and the Philippines want to vary route of their relationship particularly since President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is ready to go to China in January 2023.
“Kahapon, bisita ko si Ambassador Huang Xilian ng Chinese embassy at aking in-emphasize ito. Bakit paulit-ulit na ito at ilang hundreds na yung note verbale, I could not keep count na kung ilan na yang hundreds na note verbal ang naibigay natin, letters of protest at talagang kailangan na talagang magkaroon ng ibang direksyon ang ating relationship lalo na pupunta ang Presidente natin sa January 3 sa China,” she said.
(Yesterday, Ambassador Huang Xilian ng Chinese embassy was my guest and I emphasized to him, why is it happening over and over again? We already sent hundreds of note verbal and letters of protest that I already could not keep count. We really need to change the direction of the relationship between the Philippines and China since our President will go to China on January 3.)
New constructions
Bloomberg earlier reported that China is building new constructions and reclamations in at least four unoccupied features in the Spratlys namely Eldad Reef, Whitsun Reef, Lankiam Cay, and Sandy Cay.
Eldad and Whitsun Reefs are located 48 and 60 nautical miles, respectively, from Pag-asa Island and are within the 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.
The Chinese embassy in Manila and the South China Sea (SCS) Probing Initiative have denied Bloomberg’s report, calling it “faux news.”
In a tweet, the SCS Probing Initiative said sandbars and formations of Lankiam Cay, Eldad Reef, and Whitsun Reef “naturally change yearly” whereas Sandy Cay is already occupied by Vietnam.
According to Carlos, the investigation of involved authorities companies on the matter remains to be ongoing. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
