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PCG counts on int’l support to solve WPS row with China
DANGEROUS MANEUVER. The Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407) and China Coast Guard vessel 21555 moments before a collision on Tuesday (March 5, 2024) at the West Philippine Sea that resulted in minor structural damage to the Philippine vessel.
The PCG on Wednesday (March 6) said such transparency efforts have been successful at rallying international support but have not stopped China from choosing such actions. (Screenshot from Philippine Coast Guard)
MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday said the country’s territorial dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) can be solved by rallying support from the international community through continued transparency efforts.
In a press conference at the PCG WPS Transparency Office in Manila, Commodore Jay Tarriela said the transparency strategy adopted by the government against Chinese aggression has been largely successful in achieving its objectives.
“We know for a fact that more countries now are engaging with our country, criticizing and condemning the provocative actions of China. And also expressing their commitment to the modernization of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and to deepening the defense cooperation that we have,” Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the WPS, said.
In addition to rallying international support, he said their transparency efforts have created an awareness among the Filipino public.
“With the current survey results, they are saying that more than 70 percent now support the approach of the Philippine government in the WPS,” he said.
However, he said transparency or diplomatic efforts of the government have so far been ineffective at preventing China from choosing provocative actions in the WPS.
“Whatever strategy you choose, China would still choose to do provocative actions in the WPS,” he said.
Based on PCG footage of the collision between BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407) and CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) vessel 21555, he said the incident might have been a deliberate action by China.
“The PCG personnel are making so much effort to prevent the collision. And the CCG personnel are just standing there and taking a video. So, it means, perhaps, that it was deliberate on their part,” he said.
Asked whether China was deliberately trying to cripple Philippine vessels to stop resupply missions, he said their strategy remains unknown outside their tactic of separating PCG vessels from the supply boats of the Armed Forces of the Philippines they were escorting.
“One thing for certain, for the past so many months, we have already been warning the CCG that they need to abide by the Collision Regulations (COLREG) and also to adhere to all of these provisions to prevent such accidents from happening. And unfortunately, they have still been doing dangerous maneuvers, blocking operations, which resulted in this kind of accident,” he said.
Earlier, several countries expressed support for the Philippines and condemned China for its “provocative actions” in the WPS following the collision during a routine rotation and resupply mission to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on Tuesday.
During the incident, a CCG vessel also attacked Unaiza May 4, one of the supply boats chartered by the AFP, with water cannons that destroyed its windshield and injured four of its crew.
