Chinese continue fishing in shoal as Pinoys stay away

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese fishermen are crowding into Panatag Shoal even as fishermen in Zambales adhered to the Philippine government-imposed fishing ban.

Five Chinese vessels, 16 Chinese fishing boats and 56 utility boats continue unabated fishing operations in the area, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

R-Jay Bautista, Masinloc municipal secretary, said the fishing ban has forced their fishermen to fish in other areas.

“Our local fishermen don’t fish there anymore because of the existing fishing ban as per directives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,” he said.

Chinese fishing boats have swarmed into the lagoon and are illegally fishing and harvesting giant clams and corals.

The shoal, also named Bajo de Masinloc located 124 nautical miles from mainland Zambales, has been the scene of a tense territorial standoff between the Philippines and China for more than a month now.

Of the five Chinese vessels, two are Fishery Law Enforcement Command ships, the latest additions considered the most advanced Chinese maritime ships.

However, China claimed it has only 20 vessels fishing in the area.

China has admitted deploying more vessels to strengthen management and control of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as a result of the Philippine government’s “provocative actions.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Wednesday about 20 Chinese fishing boats are now working in the area.

“This number is roughly the same with that in the same period of the previous years. The way these fishing boats are working complies with the related Chinese laws and the fishing moratorium issued by the Chinese government,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario briefed yesterday Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, president of the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly, on the situation in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and on the Philippines’ desire to resolve the conflict peacefully.

“It is timely that I am here to attend this meeting on mediation which is particularly important to us given the situation in the West Philippine Sea,” he told Al-Nasser.

The meeting took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York ahead of the high-level meeting on “The Role of Member States in Mediation.”

Al-Nasser expressed hope that the issue would be dealt with wisdom, adding that the mediation meeting may provide a clearer picture of the role the General Assembly could play in helping resolve conflicts.

The Philippines is a member of the Group of Friends of Mediation and co-sponsored the landmark consensus resolution on “Strengthening the Role of Mediation in Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and Conflict Prevention and Resolution” in June 2011.

The Philippines has always been active in promoting the peaceful settlement of international disputes.  

This year, it leads efforts in the United Nations to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes through a General Assembly resolution that calls on states to “promote and observe in good faith” the historic declaration.

The DFA said on Wednesday that China has sent more government vessels to Panatag Shoal.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said talks are continuing between the DFA and Chinese embassy officials.

However, the DFA has received reports from the Coast Guard of an increasing number and pattern of Chinese government and fishing vessels in the area.

At around 7 p.m. of May 21, there were reportedly five Chinese government vessels (CMS-71, CMS-84, FLEC-301, FLEC-303 and FLEC-310), and 16 Chinese fishing boats, 10 of which were inside the lagoon, while six were outside.

Also sighted were 56 utility boats, 27 of which were inside the lagoon and 29 outside.

The Philippines has documented the many instances where Chinese fishermen have unlawfully dredged the area and illegally harvested giant clams and corals.

Hernandez said it is regrettable that these actions occurred at a time when China has been articulating for a de-escalation of tensions while the two sides have been discussing how to defuse the situation in the area.

The Philippines protested these actions of China as clear violations of Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction over the shoal and sovereign rights over the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that covers the waters around Panatag Shoal, he added.

The DFA expressed grave concern over the Chinese actions that escalate tension in Panatag Shoal in a diplomatic note dated 21 May 2012 and sent to the Chinese embassy.

Del Rosario underscored yesterday the importance of meditation and other third party mechanisms that can level the playing field.

In a statement delivered before the UN General Assembly’s High Level Meeting on “The Role of Member States in Mediation,” Del Rosario emphasized the importance of mediation as a tool in the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Del Rosario is among five foreign ministers invited to speak at the meeting because of the Philippines’ active involvement in mediation initiatives in the United Nations.

“When parties are in a dispute, differences in political and economic power can often weigh against a fair, just, peaceful and lasting resolution,” he said. 

“These (mediation and third party mechanisms) help ensure that although one party may lack in power, it can make up through reliance on the rule of law.”

Del Rosario said the role of individual nations in mediation starts with their openness to this peaceful option. 

“Mediation forms an important part of a rules-based approach to the peaceful settlement of disputes,” he said. 

“It is for this reason that we are pursuing this course in hoping to resolve the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea as well as in addressing the internal conflicts in my country.” – With Pia Lee-Brago