China denies exploring Benham Rise

Chinese Embassy on Saturday denied it intentionally sailed to Benham Rise in Eastern part of Luzon off Aurora and Quezon province, saying they simply passed by international sea. . (Photo: Benham Rise/Facebook)

MANILA—Chinese Embassy on Saturday denied it intentionally sailed to Benham Rise in Eastern part of Luzon off Aurora and Quezon province, saying they simply passed by international sea.

In their website, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said their ships had the right of freedom of navigation in those waters, and its research ships did pass through seas northeast of Luzon Island last year.

“But this is purely carrying out normal freedom of navigation and right of innocent passage, and there were no so-called other activities or operations,” he said after their embassy received letter from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). “Comments from individuals in the Philippines on this do not accord with the facts.”

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday said Chinese ships were monitored in recent months at locations near the Philippines, with a warship spotted 70 miles off its western coast in the South China Sea and survey ships seen to the north and south of its eastern seaboard.

He said satellite imagery provided by allies had tracked Chinese vessels for three months last year in Benham Rise, a vast area the United Nations has declared to be part of the Philippines’ continental shelf.

China could be trying to explore Benham Rise, Philippines’ defense chief said, in what could be another source of conflict between the Asian neighbors.

Lorenzana pointed out that satellite photos and incident reports indicate that China had sent a ship to Benham Rise.

“One of the survey ships is also plying the Benham Rise already. Last year, it was monitored for about three months,” Lorenzana was quoted as saying.

He said he had given instructions to the Navy that if the survey ship returns, “accost them and drive them away.”

Since assuming presidency last year, President Rodrigo Duterte has sought closer ties with China, choosing to downplay the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea favoring the Philippines in exchange of reinvigorated economic ties.

The country’s claim to Benham Rise, a 13-million-hectare area located east of Luzon island believed to be gas-rich, was approved by the United Nations in 2012.