According to psychological experts, believing one’s deception happens when reality is shut out to create an illusion or a mythical world. This condition is a pathological disease termed mythomania, from the word myth.
The same problem that needs curing is how China keeps insisting through its propaganda channels on what it considers the absolute truth, which is confined to its sphere.
It insisted on the nine-dash line and later revised it to a 10-dash line after the lesser boundary claim was invalidated by the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruled that the delineation is a myth.
To pursue an aggressive territorial offensive, it uses the discredited assertion that is now the cause of the conflict in the West Philippine Sea as the Philippines and other nations that adhere to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea challenge the baseless maritime border.
Confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels have intensified, and recently, a resupply mission to the frontline troops stationed on the beached BRP Sierra Madre was hosed down and subjected to other forms of harassment, resulting in slight injuries to four Philippine Navy personnel.
Another tall tale out of the enchanted mill of the Communist Party is the allegation that a previous President had committed to the removal of the stationary World War 2 landing ship.
All living presidents have denied making such a promise to China, but its Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly insisted that the Philippines live up to its commitment.
Moreover, no documents prove the pledge to remove the ship was ever made.
In the same vein, the Chinese embassy is propagating another myth that the Philippine vessel was the aggressor in the most recent engagement, and the Chinese Coast Guard’s dangerous maneuvers and use of water cannons against a Filipino resupply mission stemmed from a broken vow.
It insisted that Beijing has sovereignty over the Spratlys and accused Manila of breaking “commitments to China” in an apparent reference to a January bilateral meeting to de-escalate tensions in the area.
Manila has exerted efforts to discuss the issue diplomatically to implement both President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s and President Xi Jinping’s instructions to reduce the tension, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“The Philippines has not entered into any agreement to abandon its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, including in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal,” the DFA added.
“There is also no temporary special arrangement between the Philippines and China about Ayungin Shoal,” a spokesperson for the agency said.
Based on UNCLOS, then, it is China that has been intruding on and assaulting Filipino vessels in Philippine territory. The local boats are taking the punches so the world would know.
With a limited arsenal, the Philippines has embarked on an aggressive transparency offensive in which journalists and documenters are brought to the scene of the Chinese aggression.
The DFA gave a simple logical riposte to the current dilemma: “(China’s actions) would be legitimate if the foreign vessels were in their exclusive economic zone, but they’re not; there’s a big distance from their EEZ.”
Under UNCLOS, an EEZ extends up to 200 nautical miles from a coastal state’s shore, and the state has jurisdiction over the resources in that stretch of water.
Ayungin Shoal, situated in the West Philippine Sea, is only 106.3 nautical miles from Palawan but at least 617.39 NM from the Chinese mainland.
Before Manila can agree to a dialogue with Beijing, it must ensure that China has its foot on the ground and has let go of the fantastic fables it is currently holding on to.
