AFP: China keeps inventing narratives to advance territorial claims

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) special spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad (Ret.), said Thursday that China continues to invent false narratives to advance its agenda.

“They keep inventing just to further their agenda, not only on sea but even on land. So, dapat makita ito ng taong bayan na paiba-iba ang narratibo ng Partido Komunista ng Tsina. Kasama diyan yung RORE (rotational and resupply missions), kasama ang pag-conduct ng ating maritime domain awareness flights, pag-conduct ng patrol natin sa Bajo de Masinloc sa Northern Islands, pati pag-angkin sa Batanes kasama na sa narratibo nila. Huwag tayo mabigla, baka pati Pluto ay angkinin na rin nila. These types of narratives, consider them as inventions and they are jokes. Laugh at them,” Trinidad told defense reporters at Camp Aguinaldo.

While declining to comment directly on the latest controversial statement by the Chinese ambassador, Trinidad said China was advancing narratives to support its territorial claims in the WPS and other areas.

“I would like to defer to the statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs. That's unfortunate that the top diplomat would release language which are not appropriate for diplomats. The AFP will keep performing its mandate regardless of what other people would say. Our actions are not designed to portray aggression but to show our readiness to perform our mandate, especially across our maritime domain,” he said.

“The AFP has always been performing its mandate regardless of the information environment, what the adversary would say. Our mandate is very clear. The policy guidance being implemented by our strategy is very clear. We will stick to our mandate,” he added.

One of these mandates, according to Trinidad, is conducting RORE missions. He emphasized that the Philippines does not need China's permission to carry them out, contrary to what he described as one of China's narratives.

“The RORE is a routine mission of the AFP. It is in furtherance of our mandate. We need not seek the clearance nor the approval of any foreign power to perform our mandate,” Trinidad said.

“Let this be very clear: The AFP will keep performing its mandate—not only doing the RORE, but also our MDA flights, our maritime patrols and our air surveillance flights. This will continue long into the future.”

Badge of honor for those who stand with Phl

Trinidad said government officials sanctioned by China should consider the measures a badge of honor for defending the country's interests, criticizing those who remain silent or appear to appease the country's adversary.

“What else is new? Our very own SND (Secretary of National Defense) has been sanctioned, former Senator Tolentino has been sanctioned. This is actually a badge of honor, considering that yung mga tumatayo at sumusuporta sa panindigan natin to fight for our national interest ay dina-sanction ng ibang bansa. Ibig sabihin, they're doing something good and something right for the country,” Trinidad said.

“Ang nakakahiya dito, manahimik tayo or magsalita tayo laban sa paninindigan ng ating bansa if only to appease the adversary. Again, what is important here is we have government officials, we have private citizens supporting the stand of the national government and the country to fight for our national interests. Ang nakakahiya dito, yung mga kapwa Filipino na ayaw man lang sumuporta sa paninindigan ng ating bansa or to support our national interests,” the WPS spokesperson added.