25-9-2023 (MANILA) The Philippines has conveyed its condemnation of the installation of a floating barrier by the Chinese coast guard in a disputed area of the South China Sea, known as the Scarborough Shoal. Images shared by the Philippines on Sunday showed the barrier blocking fishing vessel access, with Chinese coast guard ships nearby. The Philippines stated that it would take all necessary steps to protect the rights of its fishermen and counteract the installation.
National security adviser Eduardo Año emphasized the violation of traditional fishing rights by the People’s Republic of China through the placement of this barrier. The Philippine foreign ministry subsequently labeled the barriers as a breach of international law. It expressed its commitment to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty and the livelihood of its fishermen.
China claims approximately 90% of the South China Sea, a claim that intersects with the exclusive economic zones of other nations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The Scarborough Shoal was seized by Beijing in 2012, pushing Filipino fishermen to venture farther for diminished catches.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coast guard spokesperson, revealed that Philippine coast guard and fisheries bureau personnel discovered the floating barrier, measuring roughly 300 meters in length, during a routine patrol near the shoal. Tarriela noted that the Chinese coast guard typically deploys such barriers when monitoring a significant number of fishermen in the area, only to later remove them.
