Aquino firm on Spratlys dispute

President Benigno Aquino lll. AP Photo/Bullit Marquez

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino vowed Wednesday that the Philippines would press its territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), despite the vast military superiority of its rival China.

Aquino also called on Beijing to follow international rules in seeking to resolve rival claims to the strategically important territory that includes the Spratly island chain, believed to sit on vast mineral resources.

“We are just protecting our rights because if you don’t exercise your rights, then you will be abandoning them,” Aquino told reporters.

“If we leave (the West Philippine Sea), then they will just own it,” he said.

Aquino said the overlapping claims, which also include those from Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, should be settled multilaterally under international accords such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“We expect China to adhere to that… We believe the basis for our claim is well-founded, especially under this treaty ratified by so many countries including China,” Aquino added.

Aquino said that settlement under UNCLOS was in the interests of the other South East Asian claimants, the United States, the United Nations and all parties who use the sea lanes.

The Philippines interprets the convention as saying a country has exclusive economic rights over waters within 200 nautical miles of its continental shelf.

The country has recently become more active in defending its claim in the West Philippine Sea despite its lack of military resources to enforce it.

Earlier this month the Philippine Navy dispatched its flagship, an ageing World War II vessel, to patrol the West Philippine Sea after China said it was sending a maritime patrol vessel through the area.

Manila has also accused China of being behind several provocative incidents in the Spratlys in recent months.

Singapore on Monday joined the debate, urging China to be more open about the extent of its territorial claims and saying Beijing’s lack of openness was causing international concern.

The Philippine military, meanwhile, said it would soon start repair of its airstrip in Thitu island in the Spratlys, which the country occupies.

“The order of our commander in chief is to do it as soon as possible,” said Lieutenant General Juancho Sabban, commander of military forces in the western Philippines.