A Chinese navy reconnaissance ship\u2019s trip through Philippine territorial waters in the Sulu Sea did not break international law, Beijing said in responding to a protest by Manila, which had called it an \u201cillegal incursion.\u201d <\/p>\n
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described the ship\u2019s action as \u201can exercise of the right of innocent passage pursuant to UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea].\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Chinese passage was safe and standard, and consistent with international law and international practice. We hope relevant parties can view it in an objective and rational manner,\u201d he said in response to a reporter\u2019s question during the ministry\u2019s daily press briefing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
China and the Philippines are signatories to UNCLOS, an international treaty that provides a comprehensive legal framework for all activities and uses of the world\u2019s seas and oceans. <\/p>\n
On Monday in Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it had summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to meet with Acting Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro over China\u2019s alleged maritime action in southwestern waters of the Philippine archipelago. <\/p>\n
An \u201celectronic reconnaissance ship\u201d of the People\u2019s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had entered Philippine waters without permission from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1, the department said in a statement. <\/p>\n
The department did not say why it waited six weeks to confront the Chinese ambassador about the incident. <\/p>\n
The Dongdiao-class PLAN ship communicated that it was \u201cexercising innocent passage\u201d when the Philippine Navy challenged it in Sulu Sea waters, the department said. The ship reached the Cuyo Islands in the Palawan region of the central Philippines. <\/p>\n
\u201cIts movements, however, did not follow a track that can be considered continuous and expeditious, lingering in the Sulu Sea for three days,\u201d the DFA said, adding that the ship did not immediately leave despite being warned off by the Philippine Navy. <\/p>\n
The department said Manila recognizes the right of any ship to pursue innocent passage through its waters in accordance with UNCLOS. However, the action of the Chinese ship \u201cdid not constitute innocent passage and violated Philippines sovereignty.\u201d<\/p>\n
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea as its own, but five other Asian governments \u2013 Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam \u2013 have territorial claims. While Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the sea overlapping Indonesia\u2019s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). <\/p>\n
Manila has filed a series of complaints about Beijing\u2019s presence within its territory beginning about 12 months ago and summoned Ambassador Huang after about 220 Chinese ships were spotted in March 2021 around Whitsun Reef in the Spratly Islands.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Source: Radio Free Asia<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Chinese navy reconnaissance ship\u2019s trip through Philippine territorial waters in the Sulu Sea did not break international law, Beijing said in responding to a protest by Manila, which had called it an \u201cillegal incursion.\u201d Chinese foreign ministry spo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n