China is ‘converting South China Sea into a lake of China,’ says Teodoro

Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. delivers his speech at the 22nd General Assembly of Veterans Confederation of ASEAN Countries 2023 (VECONAC 2023) at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in Pasay city on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. (INQUIRER.net/Ryan Leagogo)

MANILA, Philippines — Defense chief Gilberto Teodoro on Friday said China is attempting to convert the entire China sea into its own lake.

To back his statement, Teodoro noted China’s use of massive coast guard vessels while navigating Philippine waters is a testament to its attempt to enforce domestic presence in the whole South China Sea.

“China is trying to [unilaterally change] the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law by letting other countries submit [to] the unilateral claim of the whole South China Sea as its internal waters,” said Teodoro in an interview over ANC.

“Meaning to say, it’s converting the South China Sea into a lake of China,” he observed.

“And that is why it’s using coast guard vessels which are huge and massive — equivalent to naval vessels – to enforce domestic and criminal Chinese law in the whole South China sea,” he explained.

In relation to Teodoro’s statement, maritime security expert Ray Powell earlier disclosed at least 11 Chinese maritime militia vessels were sailing in Ayungin Shoal.

The sighting comes, days after China’s back-to-back aggressive actions against Philippine vessels in West Philippine Sea. 

According to the defense chief, this move alone is part of China’s “illegal narrative” to push countries into submitting to China’s own definition of what “international law” is.

In 2016, the arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of Philippines, declaring that China’s claim in South China Sea, including its nine-dash line and other activities in Philippine waters — was unlawful.