The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) asserted its right to maintain the BRP Teresa Magbanua at Escoda Shoal, emphasizing that the area is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling. Therefore, the Philippines has the right to operate in the region without needing permission from any other country.
PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, made this statement following China’s protest against the extended presence of the PCG vessel at Escoda Shoal since April of this year. This protest came after reports surfaced about China’s reclamation activities in the area.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that the PCG’s actions seriously violated China’s sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the disputed waters.
However, Commodore Tarriela criticized this statement, pointing out that China itself has not adhered to any provisions of the 2002 declaration. Instead, Tarriela stated that China continues to violate the DOC by sending the largest Coast Guard vessels and a vast number of maritime militia, contributing to environmental degradation and escalating tensions in the region.
Tarriela also clarified that the deployment of the PCG vessel to Escoda Shoal was not intended to provoke or escalate tensions, but to protect and uphold the Philippines’ rights in these waters, particularly against illegal poaching and activities that damage the marine environment.
Background on the China-Philippine Sea Dispute
The territorial dispute between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea has been a significant source of tension in the region. The Philippines, backed by a 2016 ruling from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, maintains that certain areas within the South China Sea, including the Escoda Shoal (also known as Sabina Shoal), fall within its EEZ. The ruling invalidated China’s expansive claims, which are based on the so-called “nine-dash line,” a demarcation line used by China to claim nearly the entire South China Sea.
Despite the ruling, China has continued to assert its claims, constructing artificial islands and militarizing them, which has led to international condemnation. The Philippines, supported by other nations, has consistently called for adherence to international law, particularly UNCLOS, to resolve the dispute peacefully. The ongoing standoff at Escoda Shoal is one of many flashpoints in the broader conflict over control and access to the resource-rich and strategically important South China Sea.