China rages at Indonesia’s neighbors. It even warned to “not cause problems” This is after the Philippine Coast Guard said it had removed a floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea (SCS), an area the two disputed. Previously, China was said to be blocking Filipinos from entering its traditional fishing areas with this barrier.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China firmly upholds its sovereignty and maritime rights. “We advise the Philippines not to provoke or cause problems,” he stressed.
Please note that Scarborough Shoal is located 240 km west of the main island of Luzon in the Philippines and almost 900 km from the Chinese mainland, Hainan. Based on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, countries have jurisdiction over natural resources within an area of approximately 200 nautical miles and 370 km from their coasts.
China itself claims sovereignty over almost the entire SCS. Although an international court in 2016 ruled that its stance had no legal basis.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo Ano immediately answered China’s threat. He said that his country “has the right” to remove all barriers to coral reefs that still enter his country.
Earlier Monday, the Philippine coast guard released a video showing a man wearing snorkeling equipment using a knife to cut a rope attached to a floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal.
Another video also shows an anchor being pulled from the water into a wooden outrigger boat.
“After checking with our intelligence agents in Bajo de Masinloc, the Chinese government has removed the obstruction,” said Philippine coast guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, Jay Tarriela.
On the same day, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it would take all necessary measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and the livelihoods of fishermen. However, there is no further information regarding its form.
Source : CNBC
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