Philippines, China to set up new channels to handle South China Sea
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[July 17, 2024]
By Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores
MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines and China have agreed to set up new
lines of communication to improve their handling of maritime disputes,
according to a document and a Philippine diplomatic source, as ties sour
over clashes about territory in the South China Sea.
The two countries have traded barbs repeatedly over jurisdiction in the
contested South China Sea as the Philippines, emboldened by support of
defence ally the United States, challenges China's permanent presence
around strategic features inside Manila's exclusive economic zone.
Three communication channels would be established specifically for
maritime issues, according to the source, who provided a document with
highlights of an "Arrangement on Improving Philippines-China Maritime
Communication Mechanisms", which was signed on July 2.
"China has always been committed to working with the Philippines to
properly address maritime issues through dialogue and consultation,"
Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a briefing when asked about
the agreement.
"The two countries have agreed to further strengthen the dialogue on
sea-related communication between diplomacy and the maritime police, so
as to jointly safeguard the stability of the maritime situation and the
overall situation of China-Philippines relations," Lin added.
The foreign ministries of China and the Philippines and the Chinese
embassy in Manila did not immediately respond on Wednesday to separate
requests for comment on the matter.
The first channel would be used by "representatives to be designated by
their leaders," with the other for respective foreign ministries at
ministerial or vice-ministerial level, or their designated
representatives, according to the document.
The third would involve their respective coast guards "which will be set
up once the corresponding MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the
coast guards is concluded," the document said.
The source, who declined to be identified because they were not
authorised to speak on the issue, said the Philippine foreign ministry
was discussing with its Chinese counterpart guidelines to govern the
implementation of the arrangement, which follows a June 17 clash between
rival vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal, the site of frequent
standoffs.
CHALLENGE TO CHINA
The Philippines last month accused China's coast guard of intentionally
ramming and deliberately puncturing navy boats and seizing weapons to
disrupt a resupply mission to troops stationed on the vessel grounded at
the shoal, seriously injuring a Filipino sailor who lost a finger.
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Chinese Coast Guard vessels fire water cannons towards a Philippine
resupply vessel Unaizah May 4 on its way to a resupply mission at
Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, March 5, 2024.
REUTERS/Adrian Portugal
China said the Philippine vessel had illegally intruded on its
territory and had "deliberately and dangerously" approached a
Chinese ship resulting in a slight collision.
The agreement on communications channels is not the first, with the
two sides establishing a line between respective maritime offices.
Antonio Carpio, a former Philippine Supreme Court justice, and a
prominent advocate of Manila's maritime claims, expressed scepticism
over the communication lines "because that will not resolve the
dispute."
"We don't know if they will answer when we call, so we will have to
wait," Carpio said. "It is good to have that but we should not
expect miracles out of that."
The Philippines and China agreed during the recent meeting on the
need to "restore trust" and "rebuild confidence" to better manage
disputes.
The Philippine resupply missions, often accompanied by media, have
riled China, which sees the Second Thomas Shoal as part of its
territory, despite being 1,300 km (808 miles) off its mainland and
within Manila's EEZ.
Beijing maintains it has sovereignty over most of the South China
Sea based on its old maps and has deployed hundreds of coast guard
vessels deep into Southeast Asia to assert its claims, disrupting
offshore energy and fisheries activities of other neighbours,
including Malaysia and Vietnam.
China has refused to recognise a 2016 international ruling that
concluded Beijing's claims have no basis under international law.
The United States has backed the Philippines over the clashes,
condemning what it calls Chinese aggression, while underlining its
"ironclad" commitment to a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty under which it
must defend its former colony if attacked. China has accused the
United States of interference.
While China claims almost all of the vital waterway, where $3
trillion worth of trade passes annually, the Philippines, Brunei,
Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam lay claims to parts.
(Reporting by Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores; Additional reporting by
Joe Cash in Beijing; Editing by Martin Petty, Michael Perry and Kim
Coghill)
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