Daily Tribune
(FILES) This photo taken on 22 September 2023 shows a wooden boat, with Philippine fisherman Arnel Satam on board, drawn by a Chinese coast guard vessel after he was intercepted for attempting to enter Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea. In a high-seas chase lasting several minutes, Satam tries in vain to outrun the faster boats and slip inside the ring of reefs controlled by China, where fish are more abundant. The fishermen complained that China's actions at Scarborough Shoal were robbing them of a key source of income and a place to shelter safely during a storm.
(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
The Philippines on Monday dismissed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s claim that it is acting on behalf of other nations in the South China Sea, calling on Beijing to acknowledge the real issue — its unlawful activities in the disputed waters.
“The Philippines disagrees with the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterizing the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere theatre staged under the direction of other countries,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
The DFA emphasized that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign nation, making decisions based solely on its national interest and the well-being of Filipinos.
“No creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China’s refusal to abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the adverse effects of China’s disregard for the rules-based international order on Filipino communities genuinely affected by China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea,” the DFA said.
The agency urged all nations to be circumspect and avoid escalating tensions through provocative actions and rhetoric.
On Saturday, Wang accused the Philippines of carrying out maneuvers in the South China Sea based on a “screenplay” written by external forces.
“For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again,” Wang said.
He reiterated China’s position on safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, warning that “infringement and provocation will backfire.”
“The Philippine side should stop misleading the international community, using the South China Sea issue to instigate disputes, and counting on external forces to undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea region,” Wang added.
He further warned that those acting as "others’ chess pieces" are “bound to be discarded.”
The Philippines remains firm in its stance, standing by the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea and recognized Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea.
Despite the landmark ruling, Beijing continues to reject its legitimacy and maintains a strong presence in disputed waters, engaging in activities that Manila deems illegal, coercive, and aggressive.
As tensions persist, the Philippines, a long-standing U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific, continues to push for adherence to international law, urging China to respect the rules-based international order.
