PH summons China’s envoy over ‘illegal presence’ of Chinese ships in WPS reef

Around 220 Chinese militia vessels were spotted moored at Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun) in the West Philippine Sea last March 7, 2021. (NTF WPS)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has summoned China’s ambassador the Philippines to express “utmost displeasure” over the illegal, lingering presence of Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

The DFA, in a statement Tuesday, said Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian was summoned on Monday, April 12, and was informed that the reef lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, contrary to the repeated claims of Beijing.

China has repeatedly claimed the reef as part of Nansha Qundao, one of two political districts in the South China Sea established by the Chinese government in 2020, which the Philippines also previously protested.

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

JUST IN: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summons China’s ambassador to PH over the “illegal lingering” presence of Chinese vessels in the West PH Sea. | @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/ewqWv9D2yq

— Christia Ramos (@christiaramos_) April 13, 2021

Further, the DFA added that Foreign Affairs Acting Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso reminded Xilian of the July 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the South China Sea.

The Hague-based court, the DFA stressed to the Chinese envoy, “ruled that claims to historic rights, or other sovereign rights or jurisdiction that exceed the geographic and substantive limits of maritime entitlements under [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], are without lawful effect.”

The DFA also reminded the Chinese side of “proper decorum and manners in the conduct of their duties as guests of the Philippines.”

This, following the “untoward statements” of the Chinese Embassy in Manila spokesperson on Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Earlier, the DFA took to task the Chinese embassy for supposedly attempting to “impugn” Lorenzana by calling as “unprofessional” the defense secretary’s statement on the presence of the Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea.

“Both sides affirmed the use of peaceful settlement of disputes in addressing their differences on the SCS/WPS (South China Sea/West Philippine Sea) issue,” the department added.

It said that the Philippines side reiterated its “firm demand” for China to ensure the “immediate departure of all its vessels from the area of Julian Felipe Reef and other maritime zones of the Philippines.”

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