March 11, 2024 | NEWS DIGEST

 

By API Desk | Date 03-11-2024

 

US condemns China’s provocations in dispute South China Sea waters

Washington has condemned China’s “repeated obstruction” of Philippine vessels in the disputed South China Sea, disrupting supply lines to an outpost and impeding freedom of navigation following the recent incident at Second Thomas Shoal.

In a statement, the  United States State Department accused Chinese ships of conducting “dangerous maneuvers and water cannons” against Philippine vessels carrying provisions to Filipino service members stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, causing multiple collisions, damaging at least one Philippine vessel, injuring four Filipino service members, and jeopardizing the safety of the Filipino crew. 

“The United States calls upon China to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” the statement read, adding that China’s actions show disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos and international law.  

Australia, the European Union, and Japan joined the United States in condemning China’s latest illegal actions in the South China Sea after four men were injured and two boats were damaged by a collision and water cannon incident.

 

Marcos wants frequent joint drills with Australia

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr suggested annual military exercises with Australia to boost the country’s preparedness as tensions escalated in the South China Sea as well as for disaster preparedness and response.

However, Marcos added that the joint exercises must depend on the situation in the West Philippine Sea as well as mutual agreement between the two countries. Only the United States and Australia have a Visiting Forces Agreement with the Philippines, which allows foreign troops to train and exercise in the country. 

Speaking in Melbourne at the sidelines of the 50th commemorative meeting of the Australia-ASEAN summit, Marcos said the drills will Australia “will benefit the Philippines because we are conducting these exercises to work with our foreign partners. And when I say work together, it is not only for defense and security, it is also for disaster preparedness, disaster assistance that they might bring should there be a disaster.” 

As part of the country’s effort to build alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China’s coercive activities, the Philippine is also negotiating a similar status of forces agreement, called the Reciprocal Access Agreement, with Japan, which might be signed within the year.

 

 

Expert suggests building civilian structures to defuse tension in Ayungin

An expert on international law has suggested building civilian structures in disputed waters to defuse tension and counter China’s “gray zone” tactics following the latest incident  which involved water cannons breaking windshields of a resupply vessel.

Retired Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio in a local radio interview said that the Philippines should put up lighthouses and a marine scientific research center in Ayungin Shoal to deter China from harassing Philippine resupply vessels. Carpio is also one of the law experts who drafted an arbitration case in The Hague. 

Carpio said building a civilian structure would also preserve and protect the marine environment in the area. The Philippines has accused China of destroying the marine ecosystems in the disputed sea, an allegation Beijing has denied.

Carpio also suggested recalling the country’s ambassador to Beijing as the first step to show displeasure at China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea as expelling China’s ambassador  to Manila is “very serious  already.” 

 

 

It is up to China to end tensions in WPS — Coast Guard spox

The spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard said that it is up to China to end tensions in the disputed waters of South China Sea by stopping the constant harassment of Philippine supply boats. 

Commodore Jay Tarriela said that sending Philippine Navy vessels to escort the civilian supply boats would only increase tension in the area as it “would allow China to have an excuse to deploy their warships […] and further militarize the situation.” 

Instead, Tarriela said that the Philippine should stick to sending Coast Guard vessels to escort civilian supply boats to counter China’s gray zone tactics. The Philippines has again accused China of stirring trouble in the disputed South China Sea, particularly in the Second Thomas Shoal, where a rusting naval transport had run aground.

The military’s Western Command (Wescom) has reported a significant decrease in Chinese presence in Ayungin Shoal days after the latest harassment incident.

 

 

US to build a port in Batanes

The United States will be completely funding the construction of a civilian-military port in the northern Philippines to prepare for a possible humanitarian crisis should China invades Taiwan, a local official said.

Batanes governor Marilou Cayco said she is expecting US military engineers to arrive next month to survey the area where the proposed port would be built. Batanes is the closest Philippine province to Taiwan, where about 150,000 to 200,000 Overseas Filipino Workers currently work and reside in.

The arrival of the engineers will also coincide with the routine two-week Balikatan exercises where more than 20,000 troops will take part to test the country’s readiness and rehearse a defense plan developed decades ago.

Cayco also said the Philippines and the United States have been looking for an alternative port to accommodate fleeing Filipino workers from Taiwan in case of a conflict between China and Taiwan.