South China Sea – Page 6 – ellen tordesillas

China accuses PH of ‘invasion’

Published by Ellen on April 19, 2011

By Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files

Philippine-occupied Pag-asa island in the Spratlys

China has accused the Philippines of “invading” the South China Sea which it claims as wholly its own, the first time it has ever done so.

“Since 1970’s, the Republic of the Philippines started to invade and occupy some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands and made relevant territorial claims, to which China objects strongly,” China said in a note verbale submitted April 14 to the United Nations in reply to the protest lodged by the Philippines on April 5.

“The Republic of the Philippines’ occupation of some islands and reefs of China’s Nansha islands as well as other related acts constitutes infringement upon China’s territorial sovereignty,” according to the note verbale.

Early this month, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest against China’s 9-dash line territorial claim over the whole of South China Sea, including the Spratlys group, a cluster of oil-rich islands disputed by the Philippines, China,three other countries, and Taiwan.

Philippine protests Chinese ships action vs PHL vessel in Reed Bank

Published by Ellen on March 3, 2011

The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest Thursday with China over the intrusion of two Chinese patrol boats Wednesday into Reed Bank in Western Palawan where a seismic survey is being conducted by the Department of Energy.

A text message from Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said: “I confirm the incident on March 2, 2011 (that) two Chinese patrol boats encountered a Phil-sanctioned vessel conducting seismic surveys in the Western Palawan. The Chinese boats warned the vessel away and the vessel moved away from its position.

“We have sought an explanation from the Chinese Embassy regarding the matter. The vessel is expected to resume its normal activities in a few days.”

The Chinese Embassy, through its spokesperson Ethan Y. Sun, issued the following statement Friday:

I noted the related report. What I want to point out is that, ever since ancient times, China has indisputable sovereignty over Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters. China has been consistently sticking to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese side maintains that the related disputes should be resolved through peaceful negotiations. Thank you and have a nice day.

China’s flag raising

Published by Ellen on August 29, 2010

While China was protesting the draping of the Philippine flag on the coffin Senior Police Inspector Rolando Mendoza, who hostaged a bus-full of tourists from Hongkong last Monday at the Rizal Park which resulted in the death of eight of the visitors, it was also doing its own flag- raising operation.

Foreign news agencies reported last Friday that China “had used a small, manned submarine to plant the national flag deep beneath the South China Sea, where Beijing has tussled with Washington and Southeast Asian nations over territorial disputes.”

What is the Philippines going to do now, being one of the countries that claim some parts of the South China Sea?

No sovereignty in own territory

Published by Ellen on June 16, 2009

The four-month old Philippine baseline law got its first test last Friday and it failed miserably and embarrassingly.

Last Friday, CNN reported a Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the Philippines.

Other wire reports from Washington D.C. described the location as “off Subic Bay” in Zambales. Chinese media said the encounter was near Scarborough Shoal.

Chinese sub slams US destroyer’s sonar near Scarborough shoal

Published by Ellen on June 13, 2009

From Inquirer online:

WASHINGTON (Agence France Presse)– A Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array towed by the destroyer USS John S. McCain off the coast of the Philippines, CNN television said, quoting a US official who said it was an “inadvertent encounter.”

The array, used to locate underwater sounds, was damaged in the incident, but the military official said the sub and ship did not collide.

The US Navy did not consider the event a case of deliberate harassment, CNN reported.

Tempest in high seas

Published by Ellen on March 12, 2009

Three days before the Philippine Archipelagic Baselines Law ( Republic Act No. 9522 ) was signed last Wednesday, the United States protested “harrasment” by Chinese vessels of their mapping ship in international waters off China which once again underscores the volatility of the South China Sea.

Immediately after Malacañang announced the signing of the baseline law, China protested the inclusion of islands in the Spratlys and Scarborough shoal in Philippine territory as “regime of islands” even as Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was the first one to file a baseline bill, accuses the Arroyo administation of “selling out” to the Chinese.

Trillanes insists that Scarborough shoal, off Zambales, should be within the country’s archipelagic baseline. By excluding the area, which was the scene of Philippine Navy skirmishes with Chinese forces in 1999, from the baseline, the country lost some 15,000 square nautical miles of Philippine territory.

Tag: South China Sea