Beijing has filed a diplomatic protest with Manila over the presence of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal.

In a statement over the weekend, a China Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused the PCG of illegally anchoring in the lagoon of Escoda Shoal, which it claims is part of China’s Nansha Qundao island.

The PCG’s deployment of the BRP Teresa Magbanua at Escoda Shoal is primarily aimed at tracking and monitoring the recent discovery of crushed corals in the area in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

However, China sees it the other way around, stressing that its vast claim over nearly the entire South China Sea extends to the WPS.

China asked the Philippines to remove the PCG vessel from Escoda Shoal.

“China has protested to the Philippines through diplomatic channels and asked the Philippines to stop its infringement activities and withdraw the vessel at once,” the foreign ministry spokesperson said.

The official said China is closely monitoring developments in the waters and “will take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.”

He also insisted that Beijing upholds the sanctity of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC).

“The Philippine vessel entered the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao without permission and has been there for a long time, which seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty, violates the DoC, and threatens the peace and stability in the South China Sea,” the spokesperson said.

Escoda Shoal lies 75 nautical miles from the coast of mainland Palawan and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

WPS forum in Malolos City

Meanwhile, the Dangal Ng Bulacan held a forum on the West Philippine Sea at the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in Malolos that pointed out that the country’s access to its natural resources along with its access to the millions of dollars’ worth of gas and oil in Recto Bank are affected by the territorial dispute.

Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro said the disputed area is rich in resources that can be used for pharmaceutical purposes.

Lazaro said the lack of protection of the reefs and shoals will lead to the destruction of the environment.

She said the removal of the BRP Sierra Madre, which is marooned on Ayungin Shoal, would invoke a mutual defense treaty among the countries allied with the Philippines.

“This is a geopolitical situation. This is a national interest,” she said.

De La Salle University-Manila Professor of Law Antonio A. Ligon provided a background on the West Philippine Sea.