The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on May 15, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippine Navy on Wednesday slammed Beijing over its imposition of a unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

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“China is out of tune, out of set, they’re out of their minds,” said Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, in a regular media briefing at the Philippine Army headquarters in Taguig City.

Trinidad said Manila will implement contingency measures, including increased presence of patrol ships, should the situation escalate as the Southeast Asian country refuses to recognize Beijing’s fishing moratorium. 

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“Not only the Philippine Navy, but the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), will fully support the actions of the other maritime law enforcement agencies, especially the coast guard and BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources),” Trinidad said.

He continued: “Rest assured that we have sufficient contingency plans in place in the event that situations will escalate."

China imposes an annual fishing ban on South China Sea waters for supposed ecological conservation purposes and the Philippines routinely opposes it. This year's ban, which started on May 1, is expected to last until September 16.

Trinidad said the imposition of yearly ban on the West Philippine Sea started on February 1, 2021, but it has not been enforced and no one has been arrested so far.  

What makes China's fishing ban this year different was its recent policy on arresting "trespassers" without trial.

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Filipinos continue to fish in the West Philippine Sea, so long as they do not enter into the China-controlled Bajo De Masinloc, according to Trinidad.  

The Navy official downplayed the ban as part of China’s lawfare strategy.

“Lawfare is one of the instruments in their cookbook. The ultimate objective of China is [to] seek control of the South China Sea,” he said. 

ILLEGAL

Retired US Navy Captain Carl Schuster said China’s enforcement of its domestic maritime laws would be illegal as it would violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Schuster, a security and defense consultant, said the first detentions can be expected to place near Scarborough Shoal as Beijing considers it to be strategic, with its location dominating the northern South China Sea and that a Chinese base in the area can facilitate isolating Itu Aba currently occupied by Taiwan.

Schuster said any activity, including routine patrols or resupply mission, may be treated by China as trespassing.

He urged the Philippines to continue to observe every Chinese action and behavior, saying that declaration of the DFA that the Philippines will not recognize the law is “a very important first step.”

“The Philippines has put the Chinese on notice that they reject any claim or authority to detain or arrest Philippine citizens in those waters. Only the Philippines has that authority and only the UN Security Council can issue a resolution that overrides that authority,” Schuster said.

Schuster is also in favor of videotaping every Chinese action and letting the world see it, saying that “the embarrassment alone should constrain China.”

‘WE WILL PROTECT YOU’

Trinidad vowed to protect Filipino fishermen who also said will defy Beijing’s fishing ban.

“Sa ating mga kababayan na mangingisda, lalong-lalo na sa Bajo de Masinloc, I would like to say that the Philippine Navy and the entire Armed Forces is fully supportive of your actions, of your livelihood, which has been a traditional source of income. 'Wag kayong matakot, magpatuloy lamang kayo at ang AFP and the entire government is behind you,” Trinidad said.

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(To our fishermen in Bajo de Masincloc, we at the Navy and the entire AFP are behind you, do not be afraid and just continue fishing.)

— With reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

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