PH not cowed by China’s threat to crush any incursion in WPS | INQToday

INQUIRER.net

13 Sept 202401:51

Summary

TLDRThe Philippines reaffirms its commitment to defend its territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea, following China's warning against foreign incursions in the South China Sea. The government maintains its stance aligns with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling. Despite China's claim over most of the South China Sea, the Philippines and China engage in bilateral consultations to reduce tensions and explore cooperative areas concerning the disputed waters.

Takeaways

🇵🇭 The Philippines is committed to defending its territorial integrity, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
🇨🇳 Beijing has warned against any foreign incursion into what it claims to be its territory in the South China Sea.
🗣️ The Philippine National Security Council spokesperson, Jonathan Malaya, emphasized that the government's position aligns with national interest and international law.
📜 The Philippines refers to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling to support its claims.
🔄 Chinese Army Lieutenant General H Le expressed hope for peace in the region but warned against foreign interference.
🇺🇸 The Philippines refuted being a pawn of the US, asserting its independent stance on the issue.
🤝 The Philippines and China held bilateral consultations in Beijing to discuss reducing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
🔎 DFA Under Secretary Maria Teresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Vice Minister Chen Sha Dong had a candid exchange on the maritime conflict.
🏝️ Both countries maintained their claims in the South China Sea but agreed to continue discussions on cooperation.
🚫 A 2016 arbitral ruling invalidated China's extensive claims over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

Q & A

What is the Philippines' stance regarding its territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea?
-The Philippines is committed to defending its territorial integrity, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with national interest and international law, including the 2016 arbitral ruling.
How did the Chinese government respond to foreign presence in the South China Sea?
-Chinese Army Lieutenant General He Lei stated that Beijing hopes the South China Sea remains a sea of peace, but warned that the People's Liberation Army would not tolerate any foreign incursions, particularly those involving the United States.
Does the Philippines feel alluded to by China's remarks about foreign pawns?
-No, the Philippines does not feel alluded to and asserts that it is not, and will never be, a pawn of the United States.
What was discussed in the bilateral consultation between the Philippines and China on September 11?
-Delegates from the Philippines and China discussed ways to reduce tensions in the West Philippine Sea, with both countries standing firm on their claims but agreeing to continue discussions on areas of cooperation.
What international law is the Philippines' stance in the South China Sea based on?
-The Philippines' stance is based on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea.
What was China's position regarding the 2016 arbitral ruling?
-China continues to assert sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its claims.
What did Chinese Lieutenant General He Lei imply about the U.S. involvement in the South China Sea?
-Lieutenant General He Lei suggested that China believes the U.S. may be pushing other countries to the front line of conflicts in the region and warned that China would not have patience if the U.S. itself becomes directly involved.
Who represented the Philippines in the bilateral consultation mechanism with China?
-The Philippines was represented by Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Teresa Lazaro during the bilateral consultation mechanism in Beijing.
What was the main focus of the consultation between the Philippines and China?
-The main focus of the consultation was to find ways to reduce tensions and discuss possible areas of cooperation in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
How does the Philippines view its relationship with the United States in the context of the South China Sea conflict?
-The Philippines maintains that it is not a pawn of the United States and emphasizes its independent stance in defending its territorial rights in the South China Sea.

Outlines

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🌍 Philippines' Stance on Territorial Integrity

The Philippines is determined to uphold its territorial integrity and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, despite warnings from Beijing about crushing foreign incursions into what China claims as its territory in the South China Sea. National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya emphasized that the Philippines' position aligns with national interests and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling. The Philippines is not a pawn of the US, as clarified by Malaya, and the country engages in bilateral consultations with China to reduce tensions and explore cooperative areas concerning the disputed waters. China's claim over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, has been invalidated by the 2016 arbitral ruling.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Territorial Integrity

Territorial integrity refers to a nation's right to protect and maintain its borders from external threats or interference. In the script, the Philippines emphasizes its commitment to defending its territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea, which is a central theme in the maritime dispute with China.

💡Sovereign Rights

Sovereign rights are the legal authority of a nation to exercise control over its territory and natural resources. The Philippines asserts its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, a contested area in the South China Sea where both China and the Philippines claim control over resources and waters.

💡West Philippine Sea

The West Philippine Sea is the portion of the South China Sea that the Philippines claims as part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This area is at the heart of the dispute between China and the Philippines. The script highlights the Philippines' efforts to defend its jurisdiction in this region.

💡South China Sea

The South China Sea is a vital and resource-rich maritime area claimed by several countries, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. In the script, China asserts its dominance over most of this sea, while the Philippines challenges these claims based on international law and a 2016 arbitral ruling.

💡2016 Arbitral Ruling

The 2016 arbitral ruling refers to the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that rejected China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. The ruling is crucial in the Philippines' argument against China’s claims, as the Philippines emphasizes its adherence to this ruling in defending its rights in the West Philippine Sea.

💡United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

UNCLOS is an international agreement that defines the rights and responsibilities of nations concerning the world's oceans. The Philippines bases its legal arguments on UNCLOS, particularly in relation to its claims in the West Philippine Sea, emphasizing the importance of international law in resolving the maritime dispute.

💡People's Liberation Army (PLA)

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military arm of the Chinese Communist Party. In the script, a Chinese Army Lieutenant General warns that the PLA will defend China's claims in the South China Sea against any foreign incursion, underscoring the military dimension of the territorial dispute.

💡Bilateral Consultation Mechanism

The Bilateral Consultation Mechanism refers to the diplomatic talks between China and the Philippines aimed at reducing tensions over the maritime dispute. The script mentions a meeting between officials from both countries to discuss their conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea, though both sides remain firm in their positions.

💡Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

An EEZ is an area of the sea where a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources. The Philippines claims parts of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, as its EEZ, asserting the right to exploit its resources despite China's competing claims.

💡Maritime Conflict

Maritime conflict refers to disputes over oceanic territories and resources. In this case, the maritime conflict is between the Philippines and China, with both countries asserting rights over portions of the South China Sea. The script highlights ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve or manage this conflict while maintaining each nation's stance.

Highlights

The Philippines will continue to defend its territorial integrity and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing warned it would crush any foreign incursion into what it claimed to be its territory in the South China Sea.

NSC spokesperson Jonathan Malaya emphasized the government's position aligns with national interest and international law.

The Philippines' stance is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling.

Chinese Army Lieutenant General H Le expressed hope for the South China Sea to remain a sea of peace.

The People's Liberation Army warned against US involvement or pushing other countries to the front line.

Malaya responded by stating the Philippines is not and will never be a pawn of the US.

The Philippines and China held bilateral consultations to discuss ways to reduce tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Delegates from the DFA and China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs met in Beijing.

DFA Under Secretary Maria Teresa Lazaro and Chinese Foreign Vice Minister Chen Sha Dong had a frank exchange of views.

Both countries maintained their claims in the South China Sea but agreed to continue discussions on cooperation.

China asserts sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

The 2016 arbitral ruling invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

The Philippines is committed to defending its territorial integrity despite Beijing's warnings.

The consultation mechanism between the Philippines and China is aimed at reducing tensions.

The discussions between the Philippines and China focused on cooperation concerning disputed waters.

The Philippines and China agree to continue dialogue despite their differing claims.