China’s detention policy a provocation — Gibo

Calling it “rubbish and an irresponsible” threat, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. on Friday said China’s new detention policy against foreigners violating its entry and exit regulations in the South China Sea (SCS) can be a “provocation.”

Teodoro lambasted China for continuously disregarding the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“Is this a provocation? No, I believe what a provocation is is the rubbish and irresponsible threat by a country to detain trespassers, quote unquote, in what is claimed as internal waters but is actually part of the high seas and part of the West Philippine Sea,” Teodoro said in a speech at Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila.

He scored China’s “paranoia” in claiming almost the entire SCS, which encroaches on the WPS and the exclusive rights of other claimants in the region, leading it to spout “disinformation and maligned information.”

“What we do in our exclusive economic zone, as to how we defend it, can in no way be termed by any sane person as a provocation,” he said.

Teodoro stressed that such behavior is not only a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but a breach of the “precepts of the United Nations Charter,” which lays upon each responsible member state the duty “to refrain from the threat or the use of force or aggression to enforce, particularly in this case, illegal territorial claims in the maritime domain.”

“That is a provocation insofar as I am concerned,” he said.

Teodoro also slammed China for calling out the Philippines’ maritime activities with like-minded countries in its territorial waters.

“Terming these cooperative activities with like-minded nations as a containment or a provocation is disinformation and evidence of the paranoia of a closed political system—although clothed in sweet terms — and the ultimate intent is to get what they want by the threat or use of force. This we cannot allow to continue,” he stressed.

Teodoro said the Philippines will remain firm in upholding the law “in compliance with our Constitution.”

The Chinese government earlier issued a directive granting the China Coast Guard (CCG) the authority to detain “for 60 days without trial” foreigners it suspects of “trespassing” in the SCS, including the disputed WPS — which it claims to be its territorial waters.

The directive, which standardizes its law enforcement procedures, was rolled out by the CCG as its house regulations on 15 May — the same day the Atin Ito civilian group-led supply mission to Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag or Scarborough Shoal) in the WPS was launched. The regulation takes effect on 15 June.

“They threaten to arrest, right? That is a provocation and a violation of the UN Charter as I said,” Teodoro told reporters in an interview.