The National Maritime Council (NMC) on Monday said tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) stem from China’s “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive” activities in the area.

The NMC reiterated the Philippines’ “consistent and principled position” that developments in the WPS are driven by China’s continued actions within maritime zones that belong to the Philippines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award.

It described as “preposterous and completely false” China’s assertion that Manila provokes incidents by deploying government vessels or allowing Filipino fisherfolk to operate in the area.

Likewise, it stressed that Filipino fishermen are civilians lawfully pursuing their livelihoods within the country’s maritime zones.

“Protecting them is a responsibility of the State, not an act of escalation,” the council said.

The NMC said Philippine operations in the WPS are conducted to ensure maritime safety, provide humanitarian assistance and enforce the law, which it said are legitimate and consistent with international law.

It also criticized the actions of Chinese vessels and aircraft, citing dangerous maneuvers, blocking and ramming incidents, intimidation, the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels and fishermen, and dangerously close aerial encounters.

These activities, it said, place lives at risk, damage property at sea, and undermine peace and stability in the WPS and the broader region.

The NMC called on China to abide by international law, particularly UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, to help ensure regional stability.