The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest against China over its Coast Guard’s confiscation of Filipino fishermen’s devices in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced this in a statement on Thursday night, August 20, saying the incident took place some 3 months ago in May. 

“The Department lodged today a diplomatic protest to China over the illegal confiscation by the Chinese Coast Guard of fish aggregating devices (payaos) of Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal) in May,” the DFA said. 

Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal) or Bajo de Masinloc is a vital spawning ground for fish that lies approximately 120 nautical miles from the coast of Masinloc, Zambales. 

The historic 2016 Hague ruling won by the Philippines declared the shoal an international fishing ground, though China has wrested de facto control of it since 2012, restricting Filipinos’ access. 

In its protest, the Philippines likewise “resolutely objected to China’s continuing illicit issuances of radio challenges [against] Philippine aircraft conducting legitimate regular maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea,” the DFA said.

Why this matters

China’s moves are the latest in a series of actions taken by the country to assert its expansive claims over the South China Sea while other countries grapple to contain the coronavirus outbreak. 

While the protest filed on Thursday addressed China’s unlawful moves in Panatag Shoal and against maritime patrols carried by the Philippines in its own waters, it did not address the recent presence of at least two Chinese vessels surveying Recto Bank this month. 

On August 10, Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Bacordo disclosed the Chinese vessels had been surveying Recto Bank (Reed Bank) for at least a “week” despite the lack the proper clearance. Bacardo had said the Navy would file a report on the matter and ask the DFA to file a diplomatic protest. 

Earlier in July, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr issued a stern warning against China to back off from conducting military drills in Philippine territory, issuing a threat that doing so will be met with the “severest response.”

The Philippines also earlier protested China’s creation of administrative districts and naming of underwater features throughout the South China Sea last April. – Rappler.com