DFA denounces Chinese embassy statement vs. Lorenzana

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday “strongly” denounced the Chinese embassy in Manila for calling “unprofessional” the statement of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on the presence of Chinese ships off the Juan Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“The DFA strongly denounces the Embassy’s attempt to impugn the Secretary of National Defense — a Cabinet Official of the Republic of the Philippines — by calling his statement ‘unprofessional,’” the DFA said in a statement.

The DFA reminded Chinese embassy officials that as guests of the country, they must “observe protocol and accord respect” to Philippine government officials.

It reiterated Lorenzana’s demand for China to “immediately withdraw” its remaining ships in the vicinity of the Julian Felipe Reef and other adjacent features In the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS.

“For every day of delay, the Republic of the Philippines will lodge a diplomatic protest,” the DFA said.

The Chinese embassy’s statement, the DFA said, contained “blatant falsehoods” when it claimed that the Chinese vessels stay in the area due to poor weather and that there are no “maritime militia vessels” in Philippine waters.

“The statement also attempted to promote the clearly false narrative of China’s expansive and illegitimate claims in the West Philippine Sea,” the DFA said.

It noted that the Juan Felipe Reef is part of the Kalayaan Island Group and lies within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“It is located 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza town in Palawan and 638.229 nautical miles from Hainan Island,” the DFA said.

The DFA rejected the embassy’s assertion that the area is part of China’s “traditional fishing grounds,” noting that “tradition yields to law.”

“The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) — to which both the Republic of the Philippines and China are parties — and the final and binding 12 July 2016 Award in the South China Sea Arbitration are clearly the only norms applicable to this situation,” the DFA said.

The arbitration ruling, it added, conclusively settled that claims to historic or other sovereign rights or jurisdiction that go past those stated in the UNCLOS are “without lawful effect.”

It said the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the WPS “blatantly” infringe on the Philippines’ “sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.”

“These are contrary to China’s commitments under international law and the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and demonstrate lack of good faith in the ongoing negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea between Asean and China,” the DFA said.

On Saturday, the China Embassy called Lorenzana’s statement on the presence of Chinese ships “unprofessional,” adding that it may “further fan irrational emotions” and that it has “taken note of the perplexing statement.”

Lorenzana earlier repeated the demand for Chinese ships to leave the Julian Felipe Reef, noting that they have no more reason to take shelter amid good weather.

He said the latest maritime and aerial surveillance showed that “there are still 44 Chinese vessels that are in Julian Felipe Reef.”