PHL to keep security stance at Second Thomas Shoal despite China’s moves – BusinessWorld Online
THE PHILIPPINES will keep its security posture at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea despite increased Chinese activity in the area, Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. said on Monday, stressing that any shift would harm the country’s national interest.
Speaking at a National Heroes’ Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, Mr. Teodoro said recent movements by Chinese vessels near the shoal do not pose an immediate threat to Filipino troops stationed there but emphasized that forces remain on alert.
“To change our stance will be a great detriment to our national interest,” he told reporters. “Many countries support our position, aside from international law.”
The Philippines has kept a small detachment of marines aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era ship deliberately run aground in 1999 to serve as a military outpost at the contested shoal. The vessel has since symbolized Manila’s resistance to Beijing’s expansive claims.
The Philippine military last week reported increased activity by the Chinese Coast Guard near the shoal, citing drills involving water cannons and the deployment of small and inflatable boats.
Manila and Beijing have long been at odds over maritime claims in the South China Sea, where repeated confrontations have included ramming incidents and the use of water cannons against Philippine resupply missions.
China claims almost the entire strategic waterway through its so-called nine-dash line map, an assertion voided by a 2016 ruling by a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal.
The court found no legal basis for Beijing’s claim, but China has rejected the decision and continued to bolster its presence in disputed areas, including the Spratly Islands, Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal.
Mr. Teodoro said the Philippines’ stance is backed by international law and growing international support, with allies voicing opposition to Chinese actions seen as destabilizing. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio