ASEANEWS HEADLINE-ASIA GEOPOLITICS | MANILA: Philippines raises concern anew on West Philippine Sea situation

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MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration again voiced concerns over “actions by other countries” that have endangered lives at sea and infringed on Philippine sovereignty, as it hosted the latest round of negotiations for an ASEAN-China Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The meeting of the Joint Working Group on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, which is tasked with undertaking the COC negotiations, was held in Manila on April 9-11. The JWG-DOC is co-chaired by Malaysia and China.

“The Philippines voiced its concerns on the situation in the West Philippine Sea, especially with regard to recent incidents that posed risks to Philippine vessels and personnel, and actions by other countries that infringed on the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” the DFA said.

According to the DFA, negotiations touched mainly on paragraphs in the draft COC, including the so-called milestone issues, that highlighted the commitment of ASEAN and China to conclude a substantive and effective COC as soon as possible.

“The meeting was an opportunity for the Philippines to strongly call for the need to adhere to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award,” the DFA said.

The Philippines also reiterated its commitment to resolve disputes peacefully and to pursue constructive diplomatic approaches to managing differences at sea.

In 2023, the foreign ministers of ASEAN and China adopted the Guidelines on Accelerating the Early Conclusion of the Code of Conduct and agreed to work toward concluding the COC within three years. The next round of negotiations will be held in Malaysia later in the year.

The Philippines slammed China for dismissing developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere “theater” staged under the direction of other countries.

Manila rejected Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s claim that Philippine maritime actions were influenced by external forces.

It urged countries involved to be “circumspect” so as to “avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region.”

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West Philippine Sea in Google Maps

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West Philippine Sea seen on Google Maps | INQToday

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As the Chinese continue their bullying, the West Philippine Sea has officially appeared on Google Maps.

An update on the popular web mapping platform now identifies the waters off Palawan as West Philippine Sea, distinct from the larger South China Sea, which is located much further from the Philippines.

Google has yet to issue a statement.

The Maps update came months after the passage of Republic Act 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

The law formally identifies the “maritime zones of the Philippines on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the territorial seas of Bajo de Masinloc and the maritime features of the Kalayaan Island Group, shall be collectively called the West Philippine Sea.”

In 2012, then president Benigno Aquino III issued an administrative order renaming the waters west of the Philippines within its exclusive economic zone as West Philippine Sea.

The directive came following the standoff with China in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc.

The Philippines in 2016 won a historic arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea. Apple Maps, the default web mapping service for iOS devices, has yet to make a similar update.

US lawmakers

As this developed, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. received US lawmakers at the Department of National Defense at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

The US lawmakers were Sen. Pete Ricketts, chairman of the Senate foreign relations subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific and international cybersecurity policy, and Rep. Ken Calvert, chairman of the House appropriations committee’s defense subcommittee.

“Secretary Teodoro expressed the Philippines’ deep appreciation for the US consistent support as a treaty ally, especially amid growing regional challenges,” the DND said in a statement.

Also yesterday, the DFA announced the visit last April 2 of Canadian Armed Forces chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Marie Annabelle Jennie Carignan, which it said was “aimed to better understand the context and needs of the Philippines in the realm of security and defense, as Canada further operationalizes their Indo-Pacific Strategy.”

Carignan paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro.

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“The fruitful discussion highlights both countries’ commitment to deepen defense and security cooperation, and also reflects the intention of both countries to enhance their partnership and cooperation through tangible programs and projects that will not only improve national security, but also reinforce the more than 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada,” the DFA said.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the procurement of additional FA-50 fighter jets is possible and the AFP is studying other options for the acquisition of more multi-role fighter aircraft.

Asked about the ongoing AFP modernization, Brawner said the acquisition of 12 more FA-50 lead-in trainer fighter jets is already in the pipeline.

He noted that there is no decision yet on acquiring F-16 fighter jets.

“We are happy that the US Congress approved the sale of 20 F-16s to us, but there is no final decision on this yet – by the AFP or by the President,” Brawner told reporters at Camp General Mateo Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

He said the AFP hopes to expedite the acquisition of multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft for the Philippine Air Force.

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“But as to the MRFs, we’re still in the process of determining which one we can get according to our fiscal space or how we can afford these platforms,” he said.

The US State Department earlier approved a potential sale of 20 F-16 fighters to the Philippines, for some $5.58 billion as Washington backs Manila in pushing back China’s maritime expansion.

The development was announced days after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Manila last month. — Janvic Mateo