Philippines to continue to deploy vessels in contested South China Sea shoal
MANILAΜύ–ΜύTheΜύ±Κ³σΎ±±τΎ±±θ±θΎ±²Τ±π²υΜύwill continuouslyΜύ»ε±π±θ±τ΄Η²βΜύ±Ή±π²υ²υ±π±τ²υΜύin theΜύ³¦΄Η²Τ³Ω±π²υ³Ω±π»εΜύSabinaΜύ³§³σ΄Η²Ή±τΜύin theΜύ³§΄Η³ά³Ω³σΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύSea, its coast guard said on Monday after a Philippine ship returned to port after a five-monthΜύ»ε±π±θ±τ΄Η²βment there.
“We will sustain presence over these waters,”Β Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)Β Spokesperson Jay Tarriela told a press conference.
The PCG’s vessel, Teresa Magbanua,Β wasΜύ»ε±π±θ±τ΄Η²β±π»εΜύ³Ω΄ΗΜύSabinaΜύ³§³σ΄Η²Ή±τΜύin April to monitorΒ what Manila suspects to beΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²Ή‘s small-scale landΒ Β in the area.Β ±υ³ΩΜύreturned to port on Sunday.
Mr. Tarriela said the ship’s return was not related toΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²Ή‘²υΜύΒ for Manila to withdraw its vessel, instead it was so it could be repaired and to attend to the crew’s medical needs.SabinaΜύ³§³σ΄Η²Ή±τ, whichΒ °δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύrefers to as Xianbin Reef and theΜύ±Κ³σΎ±±τΎ±±θ±θΎ±²Τ±π²υΜύas the EscodaΜύ³§³σ΄Η²Ή±τ, lies west of the Philippine province of Palawan, within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
“Regardless of what size of vessel, regardless of how manyΜύ±Ή±π²υ²υ±π±τ²υ, the main objective and the commitment of the (PCG)commandant… is to make sure that at any one time, there will be a coast guard presence in theΜύ²υ³σ΄Η²Ή±τ,” Mr. Tarriela said.
China‘s coast guard said on Sunday it wouldΜύ³¦΄Η²Τ³ΩΎ±²Τ³ά±πΜύto carry out law enforcement activities in the waters under Beijing’s jurisdiction in accordance with the law and safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύclaims sovereignty over most of theΜύ³§΄Η³ά³Ω³σΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²ΉΜύSea, overlapping into maritime zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, theΜύ±Κ³σΎ±±τΎ±±θ±θΎ±²Τ±π²υΜύand Vietnam.
In 2016 the Hague arbitration tribunal voidedΜύ°δ³σΎ±²Τ²Ή‘s expansive and historical claims, a decision Beijing rejects. – Reuters
