Why Is Philippines Angry With China, Again?
China has declared a self-imposed ban on the South China Sea for fishing, hampering the trade possibilities for Philippines. It now stands that the latter has had to resort to a diplomatic protest against Beijing.
There are also allegations on Chinese
coastguards violating Philippine access to the waters and harassment of
fishermen. Additionally, the foreign ministry in a statement accused the
Chinese vessels of disrupting a joint marine scientific research mission as
well as energy exploration activities at two sites in the Philippines' exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
China has been trying ways and means of
securing its position on the South China Sea. This new development is going to
be tricky for the President-elect Ferdinand Marcos. Indeed, he is going to be
facing a delicate balancing act in pursuing stronger economic ties with China
while not appearing to capitulate over what the military sees as Beijing's
unlawful provocations at sea.
With Marcos coming to power is only
going to help Beijing more than anyone else. However, in a public statement, Marcos
has said that he intends to prioritize sovereign territory and stand up to
Chinese encroachment, in his strongest comments yet on foreign policy. The
Philippines has filed hundreds of diplomatic protests against Beijing in recent
years for what it considers acts of aggression in the disputed waters, despite
improved ties between Beijing and Manila under outgoing President Rodrigo
Duterte, whose six-year term ends on June 30.
The Philippines and China have
historically had a rocky relationship over Beijing's vast territorial claims
and conduct of its coast guard and fishing fleet in the South China Sea,
through which at least $2.4 million of sea-borne trade passes each year.
Not just the Philippines, but China has
been trying to claim sovereignty over many other neighbouring nations like Vietnam,
Thailand, Malaysia to name a few.
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