November 28, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Authorities held 13 Chinese men found illegally working onboard a dredger ship, as well as discovered a suspected uniform of the Chinese military, in the waters of Mariveles town in Bataan province.
The Harvest 89 vessel “notified the Philippine Coast Guard of its upcoming departure to its next port of call in San Felipe, Zambales, for dredging operations” while anchored off Mariveles last Nov. 26, according to a report from PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela yesterday.
“However, when the PCG attempted to board the vessel for a pre-departure inspection and to secure the Master’s Declaration of Safe Departure, the agent denied entry, claiming that all necessary documentation was in order,” he noted.
A team from the PCG’s substation in Limay town inspected the ship and found nine undocumented Chinese men onboard, as well as four others who went into hiding.
The 13 illegal aliens were identified as Luo Xiang Ming aged 56; Jiang Hai Gng, 48; Chen Yu, 40; Zhu Zhengli, 59; Zhou Zhi, 48; Zhou Chan Ggui, 51; Li Chun Liang, 45; Gong Qing Shan, 48; Wang Yu Man, 51; Wei Xue Yu, 49; Zhou Jib In, 49; Cheng Qing Yu, 48, and Hua Ming Qing, 50.
PCG personnel also discovered “a uniform resembling that of the People’s Liberation Army,” which Tarriela asserted raised “significant concerns regarding the intentions of these undocumented individuals.”
A banner with Chinese text was also found in a cabin where the Chinese crew were held.
The ship manifest only contained the names of eight Filipino crew members, he noted, without including in his statement the names of the Filipino crew.
The PCG has reported its apprehension of the illegal aliens to “relevant government agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the presence of these Chinese nationals,” he added.
Tarriela vowed the PCG would “continue our vigilant inspections and take necessary actions to address any violations of maritime laws.”
In May 2024, the PCG held tanker Hyperline 988 and its eight Chinese crew members, including the captain, before the ship dropped anchor in the waters covered by the town of San Felipe in Zambales.
It was declared a “vessel of interest” by the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency due to “questionable entries in crewmembers’ passports and seaman’s books, expired safety certificates and defective safety equipment certificates,” according to a previous report by The STAR.
G7 concerned
Meanwhile, foreign ministers of the world’s leading industrialized nations expressed deep concern over China’s increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels, opposing repeated obstruction of other countries’ freedom of navigation and overflight.
The Group of Seven foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the high representative of the European Union remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas, reiterating the G7 democracies’ strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and declaring there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.
In the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Statement released on Tuesday at the end of a two-day meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the ministers re-emphasized the universal and unified character of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reaffirmed its important role in setting out the legal framework that governs all activities in the oceans and seas.
“There is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea. We reiterate our opposition to China’s militarization and coercive and intimidation activities in the South China Sea,” the ministers said.
“We continue to oppose China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea,” they said.
The Philippines maintains a detachment of Marines at Ayungin Shoal stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine navy ship. Ever since, the Philippines has maintained regular rotation and resupply missions to deliver supplies and rotate troops.
China continues to harass Philippine resupply missions and vessels.
The ministers of the world’s seven most powerful democracies emphasized their commitment to upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on the rule of law, which is inclusive, prosperous and secure, grounded on sovereignty, territorial integrity, peaceful resolution of disputes, fundamental freedoms and human rights.
“We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on 12 July 2016 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties,” they added.
The Philippines, firmly committed to the UNCLOS and the binding Arbitral Award of 2016, shares the G7’s vision of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, and stands firm against any actions that undermine international security and stability.
The inaugural Japan-United States-Philippines maritime consultations will be held in Japan next month.
In another development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the first trilateral maritime consultations following the bilateral meeting of Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Nov. 26 on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Italy.
Iwaya stated that Japan welcomes the Philippines’ first and groundbreaking participation in the G7, a forum for cooperation among like-minded countries.
In response, Manalo expressed his desire for close cooperation.
“The two ministers also confirmed that the two countries, which shared fundamental values and principles, would work together to address regional and international challenges including the South China Sea issue and for the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.
The ministers exchanged views on the situation in the South China Sea and the cooperation in security area. They affirmed that concrete progress has been made in security cooperation between the two countries. – Pia Lee-Brago
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