Meet halfway? PH tells China: Join us in arbitration

MANILA, Philippines – Following its call to “meet halfway” over China’s new fishing rule, the Philippines reiterated its call for China to join it in arbitration.

In a January 18 statement, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Raul Hernandez said China’s fishing rule which requires foreigners to secure permits before fishing in the disputed South China (West Philippine) Sea, is only one way for China to try to “force a change in the regional status quo in order to advance its nine-dash line position of undisputed sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea.”

“The nine-dash line claim is in gross violation of international law. It is the core issue that must be singularly and fully addressed,” said Hernandez.

China uses the 9-dash line, a demarcation mark, to claim virtually the whole South China Sea. The 9-dash line overlaps with the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippines has the sovereign rights to explore and exploit, and conserve and manage natural resources, among others, within its EEaZ.

Malacanang, the Palace welcomed China’s statement. “It’s not surprising to us that they’d like to dialogue with us because we obviously told them ahead of time already,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview over Radyo ng Bayan (dzRB) on Saturday, January 18.

More than a week ago, the DFA said it requested China “to immediately clarify” the new fisheries law issued by the Hainan Provincial People’s Congress.

Despite the rule, the Philippines did not budge. The Philippine military chief this week told Filipino fishermen to “ignore the fisheries law of China.”

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin reiterated the statement, and added that the Philippine government would provide escorts to fishermen if needed.

A year ago, the Philippines elevated its territorial dispute with China to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. China, however, has formally rejected the arbitral proceedings.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario on Friday, hit China for its fishing law and its air defense identification zone in the East China Sea, and called for “regional solidarity” among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. –Rappler.com