The start on 15 June of China’s implementation of its new regulation authorizing its coast guard to detain foreigners found in the South China Sea (SCS) will not scare off the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from performing its mandate to defend the country’s territory in the West Philippine Sea.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said China’s so-called no-trespassing regulation “undermines” the rule of law and international norms that govern maritime conduct.

“The presence and actions of its vessels in our waters are illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive. We will not be deterred or intimidated,” Trinidad said.

He said the military will continue to conduct maritime patrols in areas within the Philippines’ jurisdiction.

“The AFP remains steadfast in our mission to protect our nation’s rights and ensure the safety of our personnel and citizens in the West Philippine Sea,” he stressed.

Under Beijing’s new policy, the China Coast Guard can detain non-Chinese nationals entering the SCS for up to 60 days without trial.

Amid the implementation of China’s no-trespassing policy, the Philippine Navy along with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Food and Aquatic Resources have increased their presence in the WPS.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the WPS, said all other maritime players from the Philippine government are adamant about preventing the escalation of the situation in the area.

“We have increased patrols, we are involving our partners and allies, we are not the only ones concerned, even other countries are concerned about this,” he had said in a previous media briefing.

Trinidad said China’s imposition of a no-trespassing rule in the SCS also affects other claimants to the waters.

In implementing the policy, China is depicting its ‘ten-dash line doctrine’ over the entire SCS that encroaches on the sovereignty and sovereign rights of the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Don’t be afraid

Meanwhile, the AFP assured fishermen they can continue fishing in their traditional fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea, military chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Friday.

In a media interview, Brawner said the AFP assured all fishermen they could continue fishing in the WPS. “That is our message to our fishermen.”

“We told them not to be afraid, but to go ahead with their normal activities and fish in our exclusive economic zone; we have the right to exploit the resources in the area. So our fishermen should not be afraid,” Brawner said in an ambush interview.

“Anyway, your Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Coast Guard are there,” he added.

Brawner said there are plans in place to ensure that Filipinos can still avail of the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights over the WPS.

“We are discussing a lot of things that we can do in order for us to protect our fishermen,” he said.

Airdrop successful

Brawner said the AFP’s recent airdrop resupply mission for the troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the WPS was successful.

“Well, we have a lot of different options that we are doing to deliver the supplies needed by our soldiers on the BRP Sierra Madre. The last resupply mission was very successful,” he said.

Brawner did not give details of the resupply mission.

“But it’s enough to say that we will continue to bring supplies to our troops, we will continue rotating our troops in all the features that we are occupying in the West Philippine Sea, and we will continue to protect our territory and our sovereign rights,” he stressed.

Brawner said there were no untoward incidents during the resupply mission.

“We made sure that our supplies would not be seized. At the same time, we were careful that the situation would not escalate because the desire of our armed forces, of our country, as stated by our President, is that we should stop the war,” he said.

“We have to prevent war. But at the same time, we have to exert our rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.