By Brian Campued
The Philippines will issue a formal diplomatic protest against China’s plan to create a nature reserve at Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
In a statement Thursday, the DFA called State Council of China’s recent approval of the establishment of a so-called “Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve” as “illegitimate and unlawful” as the action “clearly infringes upon the rights and interests of the Philippines in accordance with international law.”
“Bajo de Masinloc is a longstanding and integral part of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction,” the DFA said. “The Philippines likewise has the exclusive authority to establish environmental protection areas over its territory and relevant maritime zones.”
It likewise urged China to immediately withdraw its State Council issuance and comply with its obligations under international law.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año expressed full support for the DFA’s move.
In a separate statement, Año described China’s action as “patently illegal” as it violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), the 2016 Arbitral Award, as well as the 2022 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties.
He added that China’s nature reserve plan is not meant to protect the environment but more about justifying its control over the maritime feature that is part of Philippine territory.
“It is a clear pretext towards eventual occupation,” Año said, stressing that evidence has shown large-scale harvesting of endangered species and reef destruction by Chinese fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc since 2016.
“To now claim stewardship over an ecosystem that they themselves [have] damaged is both contradictory and misleading,” he continued.
“True protection of Bajo de Masinloc demands cooperation, transparency, and respect for international law; not unilateral declarations that restrict access to Filipino fisherfolk under the guise or cover of conservation,” the NSA added.
-jpv
