Pinoys, Chinese fish in harmony in Panatag ­— military

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese and Filipino fishermen appear to be co-existing peacefully in Panatag or Scarborough Shoal as they go about their livelihood, the military’s air maritime and territorial patrol over the disputed area yesterday showed.

Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) spokesman said four white Chinese ships, a Chinese fishing vessel and five Filipino fishing boats were spotted by military patrollers and journalists aboard a Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-295 plane that circled the area several times.

In 2016, the arbitral tribunal declared Panatag Shoal a common traditional fishing ground among claimants of South China Sea areas but China refused to honor the ruling.

China considers the whole of the South China Sea as part of its territory.  Panatag Shoal, however, is only 120 nautical miles from Zambales and falls within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Their working relations appeared to be okay,” Nato said.

Nato, who joined the air patrol, said that since the ships spotted at 5,000 feet are all painted white, they must be the Chinese coast guard being deployed in the area and rotated regularly.

Aside from the presence of the Chinese vessels and Filipino fishing boats, there was no other Chinese activity, like construction or dredging, in or outside the shoal, Nato said.

The air sortie also went smoothly as the Chinese coast ships in the area, as compared in the past, did not challenge the patrolling C-295.

“No challenge whatsoever,” Nato said.

Only last Wednesday, China lambasted the United States Navy for violating its supposed maritime sovereignty after one of its warships, the destroyer USS Hopper, sailed very close to Panatag Shoal.

China claimed that it had to dispatch its warships to drive away the USS Hopper while sailing 12 nautical miles from Panatag Shoal.