AFP: China’s ‘irresponsible actions’ in WPS leading to ‘global isolation’

China is leading itself to "global isolation" as it continues "irresponsible actions in the West Philippine Sea, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said Saturday.

Aguilar said China's claims over the disputed waters have already been declared invalid as he cited the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration on 12 July 2016.

"There is an arbitral award that says that their claim over it is not valid, including the activities that they are doing there," he added, stressing that China has no claims over the territorial waters based on the rulings of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"Several countries have already expressed openly their support for our position and not a single country is brave enough to say that they are right," Aguilar emphasized.

"So I think this should be an enlightenment on their part, a kind of information that they should know because their actions are actually leading to their own global isolation," he added.

Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu bluntly accused the Philippines of "trespassing" in its claimed territorial waters near Ren'ai Reef" when the Philippines conducted its "legitimate" rotation and resupply mission to the troops in BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy's commissioned ship grounded in the Ayungin Shoal.

Gan said the CCG "strictly warned the Philippine vessels in accordance with the law, tracked and monitored the vessels all the way, and effectively regulated them."

Aguilar, in response, said China's sovereignty over the Ayungin Shoal.

"That's very far from Nansha, so how can they exercise sovereignty in a low-tide elevation that is not even subject to appropriation or possession?," he said.

The CCG and Chinese Maritime Militia's blockade, dangerous maneuvers, and water cannoning of Philippine vessels are just a few of Beijing's "irresponsible actions" in WPS.

China has also been observed turning off the Automatic Identification System.

"These are violations that are actually dangerous because if you turn off the AIS, an accident could happen – probably a collision because, especially during dark periods when you cannot see what's in front of you if you are navigating. So, these are dangerous actions that will lead to accidents," Agular said.