DND chief calls out China for recent actions in WPS, insists PH merely exercising rights inside our territory
DND chief calls out China for recent actions in WPS, insists PH merely exercising rights inside our territory
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00:00 The way China behaves in the country's exclusive economic zone is much likened to a junkyard
00:05 dog that likes to bite others just because it can.
00:10 And today's hosting down of a resupply mission boat that left three deckhands or boat crews
00:14 seriously injured is the latest bullying incident by the Chinese in Philippine waters that our
00:19 Patrick DeJesus dwells on more in this report.
00:22 "We are not the ones who are blocking anyone in the West Philippine Sea.
00:30 We are the ones who are blocking.
00:33 So what are we going to do?
00:35 Just let it be?
00:36 I don't think it's possible."
00:38 Defense Secretary Gilberto Chodoro Jr. expressed great objection against what it seems like
00:44 a threat being shown by China.
00:47 This is following the another water cannon blasting incident of China Coast Guard ships
00:52 that caused severe damages to AFP-chartered civilian resupply vessel and injuring its
00:57 crew during a rotation and reprovision or a remission to 2nd Thomas or Ayungin Shoal
01:03 last Saturday for troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre.
01:08 Chodoro said that the Philippines is merely exercising its rights inside our territory.
01:15 But China is the one who is doing repeated illegal acts that is being seen by the whole
01:20 world.
01:21 "The problem is that China is too big, the Philippines is too small.
01:27 They want to take us for their people.
01:33 So that's not possible.
01:34 The Philippines and its right under international law is for the rights of Filipinos and anyone
01:45 else.
01:46 We want to include there no Chinese who says that they are the only one who can do it."
01:51 Chodoro then challenged China to bring it to arbitration regarding their self-proclaimed
01:57 historical claim.
01:58 "Now, to make it clear, if they want, they can let the world know, to make it clear what
02:06 position they are in under international law.
02:10 We will let them know our position, we will arbitrate it.
02:17 That is the best way of solving a legal dispute sustainably.
02:20 But they don't want to."
02:23 The official added that our activities in the West Philippine Sea has no influence or
02:28 pressure from any other countries.
02:31 He then encouraged all Filipinos to unite in promoting our rights and dismissed the
02:37 propaganda of China.
02:38 "The whole world knows that China is doing something illegal, that the West Philippine
02:54 Sea is using their unbelievable historical narrative that there is no country in the
03:02 world that believes in it, and many are fighting for it.
03:09 So, in other words, even though they may be hard to believe, in spite of this, in our
03:18 case, we are a strong ally in the West Philippine Sea under UNCLOS and international law.
03:40 The Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the charge of the Affairs of the Chinese Embassy
03:44 to convey the Philippines' strong protest against the aggressive actions undertaken
03:49 by China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels.
03:53 The Philippine Embassy in Beijing was also instructed to ludge the same demarche to the
03:58 Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
04:01 This is where the Philippines stressed that China has no legal rights in Ayungin Shoal,
04:07 which is a low-tide elevation maritime territory included in our Exclusive Economic Zone and
04:13 continental shelf, in accordance with the UNCLOS and affirmed by the 2016 Permanent
04:19 Court of Arbitration's Arbitral Award.
04:22 The DFA added that China's continued interference inside our EEZ is unacceptable and infringes
04:31 sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
04:34 The country also demands Chinese vessels to leave the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal and other
04:39 parts of Philippine EEZ immediately.
04:42 In response, China said it will not recognize the results of the 2016 Arbitration Award
04:49 that favored the Philippines.
04:52 Amidst rising tensions, the DFA thanked the international community for their support
04:57 to the Philippines and defense of the international rules-based order on international law wherein
05:04 21 countries have issued statements of support to date.
05:08 Patrick De Asus, from The National TV, for a new and better Philippines.