In a rare display of boldness and assertion of sovereign rights over a disputed area in the West Philippine Sea, particularly Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard or PCG, upon orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., removed a buoy barrier installed by China to block the Filipino fishermen from fishing in the contested waters.
In removing the "floating barrier," the PCG called it a "decisive action" in "upholding international law." It said, "The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law. It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in BDM (Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal), which is an integral part of Philippine national territory."
The PCG posted a video and a still image showing a diver carrying a knife and cutting the cable linking the buoys. Another photo showed personnel removing an anchor of the "floating barrier."
In an earlier reaction over the outrage on the installation of the buoy barrier expressed by Philippine officials, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, defended placing the "floating barrier" as a necessary and defensive action to shoo away a Philippine vessel.
China has been claiming almost the entire South China Sea; a large chunk of it falls within the exclusive economic zone or EEZ of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
Scarborough Shoal is within the EEZ of the Philippines, being inside the 200 nautical mile boundary. The Permanent Arbitration Court in the Hague affirmed such a fact.
China, however, refused to be bound by the arbitral ruling, consistently claiming that it owns almost all of the South China Sea. It has been executing dangerous sea maneuvers in SCS, driving away Filipino fishermen and Philippine vessels, including the Philippine Coast Guard.
It intransigently ignored the collective condemnation of the European Union. United States, Japan, Canada and Australia of its intrusion into Philippine waters and putting at risk the lives and properties of the Filipinos and the Philippine Coast Guard who venture to conflict areas.
It remained unmoved by the repeated threat of the United States to institute defensive military action to enforce the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines. It asserts and maintains its territorial right and sovereignty over the vast conflicted sea grounded on a historical basis, which, however, has been rejected by the arbitral court. It appears ready to launch counter-offensives against any country that will initiate retaliatory moves against its incursions. Undoubtedly, it has the weaponry and the firepower to do just that.
So far, China has not taken any aggressive action against the removal of its buoy barrier. It remains unafraid and unperturbed by the united voices of dissent, protest, and condemnation by the claimants and its allies.
It knows that these countries, despite the braggadocio they exhibit, will not risk the start of a raging war that could escalate into a nuclear war that will wipe all of them from the face of the earth.
The escalating conflict in the South China Sea between China and the claimant countries is a test of will and a battle of nerves. It is interesting to see how it is resolved.
The previous Duterte administration contributed greatly to the easing of tension between the two Asian neighbors. The personal friendship that evolved between China's President Xi Jinping and former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte brought about a warm and deep relationship between their countries.
The pandemic saw what could be described as a delightful alliance — as China was the first country to donate vaccines, medicines, personal protective equipment, and the like to contain the spread of Covid-19. It sponsored some infrastructure projects. There was an expansion of trade relations, sharing of intelligence on the nefarious activities of the enemies of the states, especially the drug syndicates and terrorists, and cultural exchanges mutually beneficial to the two countries.
This burgeoning union was, however, halted, if not lost, when China commenced provocative moves in the contested waters against our fisherfolk, vessels, and coast guards. The departure of the Duterte presidency made the de-escalation of the rising tension a difficult task.
A different tact in dealing with the present embroil might just work.
Removing China's "floating barrier" immediately and decisively may be a calculated risk, but it delivers a strong message that the Philippines no longer tolerates China's bullying tactics.
It may lead to a serious diplomatic powwow that could culminate in a detente — "a process of managing relations with a potentially hostile country to preserve peace while maintaining vital interests."