TWO Chinese government vessels and 42 suspected Chinese militia boats surrounded the Pag-asa Island in the contested West Philippine Sea on Saturday, March 4, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.
The Chinese Navy, Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels “have anchored” some 4 to 8 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island.
The Philippine Coast Guard says the Chinese have illegally entered the Pag-asa Island’s “territorial sea.”
Why it matters
More than 400 civilians, including 70 children, are staying in Pag-asa Island, the largest land feature controlled by the Philippines.
Most of them depend on fishing as a source of livelihood.
It is the seat of the local government of the Municipality of Kalayaan of Palawan.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also stationed its detachment on the island.
Residents had earlier expressed apprehension over the increasing tension on the island for the past months.
The PCG asserted that China’s “continuing unauthorized presence” in Pag-asa Island is “clearly inconsistent with the right of innocent passage and a blatant violation of the Philippines’ territorial integrity.”
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Chinese Navy, Chinese Coast Guard vessels
The PCG posted photos of Chinese government vessels surrounding Pag-asa Island.
A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)vessel was sighted eight nautical miles off Pag-asa Island.
Based on the photo, the PLAN ship was seen around 4:00 am Saturday.
Another China Coast Guard vessel, with bow number 5201, was also monitored to be “slowly loitering” closer than the Chinese Navy ship – at 4 nautical miles from the island.
42 Chinese militias around Pagasa cays
Forty-two (42) suspected vessels from Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) surrounded two of the four sandbars around Pag-asa Island.
At Pag-asa Cay 3, 14 CMM vessels have anchored four nautical miles off Pag-asa Island.
Meanwhile, “within the area” of Pag-asa Cay 4, the PCG also monitored 28 Chinese militia boats.
What are maritime militias
Maritime militias are armed fishermen, allegedly organized and funded by the Chinese government, to support the Chinese military in monitoring and protecting their claims over the South China Sea.
Experts said this is part of China’s “grey zone” tactic, whereby Chinese authorities can deny or claim affiliation whenever they are involved in covert activities.
There were incidents in 2019 and 2020 when Chinese militias rammed and sank the boats of Filipino fishermen trying to fish in the West Philippine Sea.
What’s the big picture
A third of the world’s shipping passes through the South China Sea.
It remains one of the flashpoints in the Asia-Pacific region, with six claimants stationing warships and fighter jets on islands and rocks.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Chinese harassment in the West Philippines has become an “everyday occurrence.”
Efforts to de-escalate tension in the South China Sea remain futile.
Talks for code of conduct
On March 8-9, mid-level diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China are meeting in Jakarta to thresh out the code of conduct among militaries and civilians in the South China Sea.
Asean and China have yet to agree on the specific rules of behavior since they agreed to have one in 2012. The working group has met 37 times and could not agree on the wordings in the single document that is not binding anyway.
In 2012 declaration, China and Asean have agreed to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities” that would “complicate or escalate disputes.”
Among activities that both agree to avoid is “inhabiting presently uninhabited islands or other features, shoals, reefs or cays.”
However, the Philippines complain that China has been violating this provision repeatedly in the past with island-building on reefs and other rock formations, converting them into military fortresses. With reports from Ruth Rodriguez in Puerto Princesa.
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