(Manila Composite) Under the instructions of the Philippines President Magos, the Philippine Coast Guard implemented a "special action" to demolish the floating barrier set by the China Maritime Police in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Coast Guard issued a statement on Monday (September 25) saying that under the instructions of the President and the South China Sea Special Working Group, they have removed the SCARBORBORBOROUGHSHOAL (Huangyan Island)Southeast floating barrier.
Statement refers to the Skobel shallow beach as "the inseparable part of the Philippine territory". The floating barrier "endangers navigation safety, clarifies to violate international law, and has hindered the fishing fishermen's fishing for livelihood."
The Philippine national security adviser Arnold also issued a statement on Monday to condemn the Chinese side to set up a floating barrier, and vowed to take "all appropriate action" to remove obstacles and protect fishermen's rights.He emphasized: "Their (fishermen) rights have been confirmed by the 2016 arbitration."
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory
However, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin returned at a regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday to reiterate that Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory.Have sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
Wang Wenbin did not talk about the floating barrier directly, but refers to the official ship of the Philippine Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bureau, "break into the waters near Huangyan Island without the Chinese permission, and attempts to rush to Huangyan Island Lall" "China."The maritime police take necessary measures to stop the Filipino ships from leaving, and related operations and restraint. "
The Philippine Coast Guard said on Sunday (24th) that when they and the Philippine Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bureau performed the task last Friday (22nd), they found that the Chinese Maritime Police Ship set up about 300 meters near Skobler's shallow beach.The floating barrier has a shallow water area where the fishing boat enters more fish.
China's sovereignty over the South China Sea overlaps with the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines.Scarberry shallow beach is located 240 kilometers west of Luzon Island, Philippines, and is about 900 kilometers from the nearest Chinese land Hainan Island.
In 2012, after the vessels in China and the Philippines confronted the nearby waters, Beijing controlled the Skobel shallow beach, and the Philippine fishermen were forced to go to a farther place to fish, and the fishing volume was small.The South China Sea Arbitration Tribunal ruled in 2016 that China prevented the Filipino fishermen from entering the Skobler's shallow beach and interfered with the traditional fishery rights of the Philippines.
A spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard told the media on Monday that according to the Philippine fishermen, the Chinese Maritime Police usually set up such a barrier when a large number of fishermen in the area were monitored, and then demolished it.
In the interview with Tarila, the Philippine government has not yet announced that it will implement the "special action" to remove the barrier.When the Philippines planned to do this, Tarira said cautiously at the time that the Philippines "must be very careful and (cannot be committed) any diplomatic negligence."
