Philippines summons Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian over Whitsun Reef dispute

Amid escalating feud between Manila and Beijing, the Philippines government on April 12 summoned the Chinese ambassador to press its demand for the Chinese vessels to immediately leave a reef claimed by Manila in the South China Sea. The tensions between the two nations started after more than 200 Chinese vessels suspected by Philippine authorities to be operated by militias were spotted last month at Whitsun Reef. After summoning Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso expressed to him Manila’s “displeasure over the illegal lingering presence of Chinese vessels”.  

Buensuceso said, “The continuing presence of Chinese vessels around the reef is a source of regional tension”. 

She further also reiterated to Huang that the reef, which lies about 324 kilometres west of the Philippine province of Palawan, is within an internationally recognised offshore zone where manila has the exclusive right to exploit fisheries, oil, gas and other resources. Buensuceso even cited a 2016 ruling in an international arbitration case the Philippines brought against China that invalidated Beijing’s vast claims on historical grounds to virtually all of the South China Sea under a 1982 UN maritime treaty. It is worth mentioning that the Philippines had also demanded the vessels to leave last month and had even deployed coast guard and patrol vessels to the area but China said that it owns the reef and the Chinese vessels were sheltering from rough seas. 

Tensions between China and Philippines

Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and Brunei also lay claim to parts of the sea, which has vast oil and gas potential. However, tensions in recent years have escalated as Chinese incursions in the South China Sea have massively increased. Earlier this month, the US Navy strike group also entered the disputed waters after the president of the Philippines, a US ally, voiced concern about the Chinese vessels massing in Manila’s 320km exclusive economic zone. 

The Philippines has also discovered “illegally built structures” on features in the Union Banks which is a series of reefs in the South China Sea. The reef is actually a part of the Spratly Islands archipelago and is claimed by both the Philippines and China. The Philippines claims that it falls inside the country’s exclusive economic zone and even United Nations (UN) ruled in 2016 that China’s claim to virtually all of the South China Sea. however, China has refused to adhere to the recognition. China has been previously also accused of using its vast fishing fleet to help assert its territorial claims throughout the 1.3 million square miles of the disputed waters.

(Inputs & image: AP)