South China Sea: Philippines steps up patrols, overflights to ensure its presence ‘is felt’ as tensions flare

The Philippines’ coastguard is ‘strengthening’ its presence in the disputed waterway, its chief said – after repeated complaints about China’s actions
Manila has ramped up its rhetoric recently against reported Chinese construction activities in the sea and the ‘swarming’ of Chinese vessels

The Philippines

Reuters

Published: 1:03pm, 7 Feb 2023

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The Philippines’ coastguard has stepped up its presence in the disputed South China Sea by deploying additional vessels and conducting more sorties and overflights to protect maritime territory and the country’s fishermen.

Beijing’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over the waterway have drawn repeated complaints from Manila, which has ramped up its rhetoric against reported Chinese construction activities and the “swarming” of Chinese vessels in the resource-rich waterway.

“We’re making sure that the presence of coastguard vessels is felt by the fishermen in the area,” Admiral Artemio Abu, Philippine coastguard commandant, said in an interview on Monday.

Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu pictured at coastguard headquarters in Manila on Monday. Photo: Reuters

Last month, the Philippine coastguard said it received a report that a Filipino fishing boat was forced by China’s coastguard to leave the Second Thomas Shoal, known locally as Ayungin Shoal, which lies within the country’s exclusive economic zone. China’s embassy in Manila did not respond when asked for comment about the incident at the time. China claims the reef as its territory.

“We are strengthening our presence,” Abu said. The coastguard chief was appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who pursued warmer ties with Beijing, setting aside a long-standing territorial dispute, in exchange for investment.

“At a moment’s notice, the coastguard vessels we will be there because they are exclusively and primarily dedicated for that purpose,” Abu said.

‘They shadow our fishing boats’: Philippines blames China for maritime discord

The Philippines’ 26,000-strong coastguard has 25 primary ships that can be used for deployment and patrols.

Beijing claims much of the South China Sea, where about US$3 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually, with the area becoming a flashpoint for Chinese and US tensions around naval operations.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, who succeeded Duterte, has vowed he would not lose an inch of territory to any foreign power, drawing cheers from advocates of a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating China’s claims in the South China Sea.

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US to gain expanded access to Philippine military bases in bid to counter China

Since 2002, the Philippines has filed 200 diplomatic notes and protests against China’s actions in the South China Sea.

Last month, Marcos Jnr met Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders reaffirmed that their countries would respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

But Marcos Jnr last week approved a US request for expanded access to Philippine military bases, as Washington seeks to extend its security options as part of efforts to deter what it perceives as China’s aggressive policies in the region.

Members of the Philippines’ coastguard patrol near Whitsun Reef in the South China Sea. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard via AP

The Pentagon also said separately that the United States and the Philippines had “agreed to restart joint maritime patrols in the South China Sea to help address these challenges”.

Abu said the Philippine coastguard’s acquisition of more advanced vessels, including a 97-metre (318-foot) multi-role response vessel last year, had allowed it to increase the number and duration of trips in the South China Sea.

“We can stay there longer, farther and we can we can cover a bigger area now,” Abu said.