PH Navy: China won’t invade Palawan; wants control of SCS

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad made the remark after 203 Chinese vessels were spotted in WPS features from Aug. 20 to 26, the largest so far for this year. (File Photo: Philippine Navy/Facebook)

MANILA – China is not seen to invade Palawan province or any part of the Philippines despite its massive deployment of ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a ranking military official said Thursday.

Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad made the remark after 203 Chinese vessels were spotted in WPS features from Aug. 20 to 26, the largest so far for this year.

“Hindi naman sapagkat wala naman sa intensyon nila yan, ang intent naman ng Chinese Communist Party is sea control of the vast expanse of the South China Sea sapagkat ito ay critical sa kanilang flow of commerce and trade (No, it is not their intention. The intent of the Chinese Communist Party is sea control of the vast expanse of the South China Sea which is critical for the flow of their commerce and trade),” he said in a radio interview, when asked on the possibility of China’s invasion of the Philippines’ westernmost province.

Trinidad said this might also be the reason why Beijing built military bases across the South China Sea.

Out of the 203 Chinese vessels spotted in the WPS, 71 were spotted in the Sabina Shoal where the Philippine Coast Guard’s largest ship BRP Teresa Magbanua is standing guard.

Trinidad said the Philippine Air Force and the PN have been making their presence felt in the area by conducting regular patrols.

He said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Philippine Coast Guard are also helping maintain the country’s presence in the WPS.

“We are here to show that (we) will not be deterred in performing our mandate. we challenge them, we tell them that they are within the EEZ (exclusive economic zone) of the Philippines and pag hindi sila umalis we make the appropriate reports, nakaraming report na rin tayo sa kaukulang ahensya ng gobyerno (and if they will not leave, we will make the appropriate reports, we already filed a lot of reports to the appropriate agencies),” he said.