The Philippine Coast Guard said on Monday it had removed a “floating barrier” set up by Beijing to prevent Philippine fishing vessels from fishing in disputed waters in the South China Sea.
The spokesperson indicated in a statement The Philippine Coast Guard complied with the presidential order to lift the banPlaced in disputed waters near Scarborough Atoll, it posed a danger to navigation, violating international law.
The Chinese ban affects fishing and the livelihood of Filipino fishermen in the BDM [zona marítima de Masinloc]It is an integral part of Philippine territory,” said Jay Dariela.
A Philippine Coast Guard On Sunday, it accused Chinese vessels of obstructing its fishermen with a “floating barrier” about 300 meters long in Scarborough Atoll, which is located in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
China and the Philippines maintain a dispute over the sovereignty of several islands and atolls in the South China Sea, mostly territories less than 200 miles from the Philippines’ west coast, a boundary established by the UN to determine maritime sovereignty. States, a convention that China agreed to in 1996.
China occupied Scarborough Atoll in 2012 and barred entry to Chinese fishing vessels, but eased the ban in 2016 when former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte began a rapprochement with Beijing.
That year, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China’s claim to the disputed islands had “no legal basis,” ruling in Manila’s favor. Beijing refused to comply with that decision.
Tensions between the two countries have risen in recent months as Duterte’s successor, the current president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has strengthened his security alliance with the United States.
Last week, the Philippine Attorney General’s Office said it was considering filing charges after the Armed Forces of the Philippines reported that Chinese ships lost coral reefs on anchored reefs last Saturday.
Menardo Guevara, head of the state attorney’s office, told GMA news service that they are studying the case and gathering information before submitting a second petition to the court for disputes in the South China Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told a press conference that the Philippines’ accusations were “baseless and meaningless.”
Mao added that “the military ship illegally stranded in Ayung Atoll (known as Renai in China) must be quickly removed, causing irreparable damage to the sea due to its rust.” Since 1999, the two countries have been stuck in a disputed area.
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