The Philippine Navy on Tuesday confirmed another harassment of Chinese vessels at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship using water cannon in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“Yes, we were informed of a water cannon incident in Bajo de Masinloc by the Chinese Coast Guard vessel towards a BFAR vessel,” Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office, information about the incident was received on Tuesday morning. “Because of that, we would like to politely defer to the BFAR for their official statement on the issue,” Trinidad added.
Bajo de Masinloc, also called Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Meanwhile, the Navy reported a total of 190 various vessels were monitored in WPS—28 of which are from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy—and Chinese Coast Guard vessels were spotted patrolling the waters of in Ayungin, Escoda and Panatag Shoals, according to latest data.
“Emphasis is given to these three features as they are very important in protecting our EEZ,” the Philippine Navy said.
China’s continued illegal presence in the WPS blatantly disregards the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, violates Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights, and highlights the need to modernize the defense and security capabilities of the AFP.
“We in the AFP remain committed to upholding international law and defending the integrity of our national territory,” the Philippine Navy said.
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