MANILA, Philippines — In the span of about 15 hours, the Philippines went from uttering an “agreement on the interim agreement” with China on resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal to issuing a message chastising Beijing’s foreign spokesperson as “inaccurate” on the bilateral agreement. .
Despite this, the agreement still seems valid.
Over the past month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ‘s order to march to the diplomatic, security and defense apparatus has been clear: to de-escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea. Therefore, Filipino broadcasters, even the most energetic, have been more cautious and planned than usual.
Marcos made this his third state administration in the country transparent on Monday, July 22, a few hours after the last exchange between the foreign ministries of Beijing and Manila. The president insisted that the Philippines would “continuously seek tactics to ease tensions in disputed spaces with our counterparts, without compromising our position and principles. ”
“I know our neighbors are also doing everything they can to make this work,” he added, without specifying who the neighbors were.
But what does the bilateral agreement contain? We still know it.
In a press release sent on Sunday, July 21 at 6:03 p. m. , Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza announced that “The Philippines and the People’s Republic of China have reached an agreement on the provisional agreement for the resupply food needs and rotating missions at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
The DFA spokesperson added: “This was achieved after a series of consultations following frank and constructive discussions between the two parties to the 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Manila on July 2, 2024. “
“Both sides continue to recognize the desire to reduce tension in the South China Sea and manage their differences through discussions and consultations, and agree that the agreement will not harm the positions of others in the South China Sea. “
In a statement issued at 00:42 on Monday, July 22, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the provisional agreement was reached after consultations based on three “principled positions. ”
Beijing’s position is as follows:
In Beijing’s view, the government is biased in its favor.
The FDFA denied it eight hours later.
In a statement sent on Monday, July 22 at 9:27 a. m. , Daza said that “the opinion of his Chinese counterpart . . . on prior notification and on-site confirmation is inaccurate. ”
“I would like to emphasize that the agreement reached with the transparent understanding of both sides will not undermine our respective national positions,” the Philippine diplomat said.
He added: “For the Philippines, this means that we will continue to assert our rights and jurisdiction in our maritime spaces as provided for in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, adding the Ayungin Reef, which is located in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf of the Philippines. ”
An Associated Press article published before China morning said that China’s obvious demands — that Manila not bring structural fabrics and give “advance notice” and the right to inspect ships — were not included in the draft agreement.
So, to summarize: The Philippines has said that the agreement does not undermine the Philippine position, and because Ayungin Reef is in the Philippine EEZ, China has no right to say what should be taken to court or demand inspections, among other things. . things.
China’s “principled positions” – in direct opposition to ours – informed their negotiations.
Notes exchanged between both parties are unlikely to be published. The FDFA rarely makes public the full text of recent bilateral agreements. The maritime agreements with Vietnam and Brunei have never been officially made public. It was Japan that published the text of the historic Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) in its entirety.
The media demanded that the DFA disclose the entire agreement; after all, those are normal missions to the BRP Sierra Madre that turn violent. Last month’s operation resulted in the destruction of Philippine Navy apparatus and the loss of a soldier’s right thumb.
There was no sense of jubilation among officials, at least in the Philippines, after the deal was announced. Nor were any public comments made: the Philippine Coast Guard referred all comments to the DFA, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr . , said he had not yet been informed of the agreement and did not need to comment.
“I am sure that the DFAE is aware of the parameters it exceeds and I have no reason to doubt that those parameters were not taken into account when concluding this arrangement or agreement with China,” Teodoro told the ANC.
Not surprisingly, officials are lukewarm about the deal.
China’s track record on bilateral agreements in the West Philippine Sea is not exactly stellar. China lied when it claimed in 1995 that it had only built a fishermen’s shelter on Mischief Reef. The so-called safe haven was transformed into an army outpost. This is why BRP Sierra Madre is here in the first place.
In 2012, after a US-brokered agreement for the Philippines and China to withdraw from Scarborough Shoal to end a standoff, Manila complied. Beijing occupied the reef, just steps from the resource-rich Recto Bank and about 130 nautical miles away. from Palawan.
China also claims that it has no explanation for accepting it as true with us. Beijing says it does not perceive why the Philippines has so radically departed from the so-called “status quo” agreement forged during the rule of former President Rodrigo Duterte. They stated that lifestyles of new agreements, or models, or agreements under Marcos. The Philippines said they didn’t exist – or that they weren’t created through the right channels and personalities.
But let’s focus on a confusing but key term from the first Philippine statement: that the agreement is about “replenishing [the] needs. “
Does it refer only to food and medicine (and the occasional treat, such as cigarettes, betel nut, or instant coffee)?Or are construction fabrics, brought in to ensure the comfort of foot soldiers, a daily necessity?
We will know when the long-awaited rotation and replenishment project will come into effect before the end of July. – Rappler. com
How does this make you feel?