The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) has slammed the continuous swarming of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea despite fair weather, calling it “prejudicial” to regional peace and security.
In a statement on Tuesday, April 13, the NTF-WPS noted that over a month after hundreds of Chinese vessels were first spotted near Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, there are even more Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea – navy warships, coast guard vessels, and ships manned by Chinese maritime militia (CMM) personnel,
“The combined presence of PLAN warships, CCG, and CMM in the municipality of Kalayaan and the Philippine EEZ is prejudicial to the peace and security of the region,” the task force said.
“The continuous swarming of Chinese vessels poses a threat to the safety of navigation, safety of life at sea, and impedes the exclusive right of Filipinos to benefit from the marine wealth in the EEZ,” it added.
In its latest maritime patrol, the NTF-WPS monitored the presence of People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels, China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, and Chinese maritime militia vessels.
All in all, there are 261 Chinese ships in Philippine waters as of April 11 – even higher than the March 29 tally of NTF-WPS when 258 Chinese ships were spotted inside the exclusive economic zone.
This is also a far cry from the figure of only 28 Chinese ships supposedly in Philippine waters, according to the statement of Armed Forces chief General Cirilito Sobejana on April 11.
Meanwhile, along with the imminent threat of another island occupation, the Chinese militia vessels were also involved in illegal fishing, according to the task force. The NTF-WPS estimated that the 240 Chinese maritime militia vessels in Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks and Pag-asa Island illegally obtained 240,000 kilos of fish every day in the area.
China’s illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) is considered by the Food and Agriculture Organization as a threat to “livelihoods, exacerbates poverty, and augments food insecurity.”
The Philippines’ maritime patrols also reported that the CMM vessels were collecting giant clams in the Pag-asa Islands, in violation of the Philippine fisheries and wildlife laws and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Scientists have warned that the fishing industry might collapse if China continues its aggressive illegal fishing in the South China Sea.
The task force also expressed “serious alarm” over the harassment of journalist Chiara Zambrano and her crew by Chinese ships in waters near Ayungin Shoal.