The placement of buoys within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was executed for navigational security and is justified underneath worldwide legal guidelines, the National Security Council (NSC) stated Friday.
In an announcement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año stated the set up of the buoys within the WPS is an act of a sovereign nation and pursuant to the Philippines’ obligations underneath worldwide legislation.
“As a maritime nation, it is imperative that the Philippines prioritizes the maintenance of navigational safety to ensure the protection of our waters and the people who rely on them,” Año stated.
Following the Philippine Coast Guard’s placement of the markers within the WPS, China deployed three beacons across the Spratly Islands. Vietnam, alternatively, criticized the actions of the 2 international locations, saying it violates its sovereign rights.
China, Vietnam and the Philippines have overlapping claims over the South China Sea, with China claiming virtually the whole area as its territory, primarily based on what it says are outdated maps, together with waters that lie throughout the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEC) of Vietnam , the Philippines, and different claimant international locations.
Año stated 5 cardinal mark buoys have been put in within the Philippines’ EEZ final week.
The Philippine Coast Guard has been putting in navigational buoys within the WPS since final 12 months together with 5 within the neighborhood waters of Lawak, Likas, Parola, and Pag-asa, in keeping with Año.
Año identified that neglect of navigational security and its disruption can result in accidents, lack of life, harm to the setting, and far-reaching penalties.
He added that because the Philippines’ maritime borders are weak to threats corresponding to piracy, smuggling, and terrorism, sustaining navigational security is essential to guard the nation towards such threats.
Año stated the buoys have been set within the WPS with the Philippine flag to additional signify the nation’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its EEZ, defending its maritime entitlements and assets.
It additionally underscores the adherence to worldwide statutes, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which acknowledges coastal states’ entitlement to handle their EEZs, he added.
“The installation of the buoys reinforces the Philippines’ commitment to promoting peace, stability, cooperation, and the rule of law in the region,” Año stated.
“It is not done with brute force but with deliberative action buttressed by international and domestic laws,” he added. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
