MANILA: Manila insisted on Monday (Jul 22) it will continue to “assert our rights” over a hotspot South China Sea reef, after reaching a deal with Beijing for resupplying Filipino troops stationed on a grounded warship.
The Philippine foreign ministry also rejected suggestions by China that the “provisional arrangement” announced on Sunday required Manila to give Beijing “prior notification” and verification of deliveries to the BRP Sierra Madre on Second Thomas Shoal.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including Second Thomas Shoal, which lies about 200km from the western Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000km from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.
“The principles and approaches laid out in the agreement were reached through a series of careful and meticulous consultations between both sides that paved the way for a convergence of ideas without compromising national positions,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Teresita Daza said in a statement.
“The (Chinese foreign ministry) spokesperson’s statement regarding prior notification and on-site confirmation is inaccurate,” Daza said.
Daza said the Philippines “will continue to assert our rights and jurisdiction in our maritime zones”, which included Second Thomas Shoal.
The fish-rich shoal has been a focus of violent clashes between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to almost the entire South China Sea.
