MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard said it will welcome a Chinese Coast Guard ship when it arrives in Manila out of "diplomatic reciprocity."
A CCG ship is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on Monday for a five-day goodwill visit.
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Adm. Joel Garcia, PCG commandant clarified that
the Philippines will not be according "red carpet" treatment to the Chinese vessel.
"Hindi
po red carpet and treatment
natin
sa Chinese Coast Guard. Ito
pong
sa diplomatic (language)
po ay
tinatawag na diplomatic reciprocity," Garcia said in a televised press briefing.
He added that
the CCG vessels will be welcomed the same way that
the PCG was welcomed by China during a past visit.
Reported harassment by China's Coast Guard
On the several cases of Filipino vessels being harassed by CCG ships in the West Philippine Sea, Garcia said this would be an opportunity for both sides to discuss the issue.
Hundreds of Chinese ships, including coast guard, navy and fishing vessels,
were also reported to have been circling the vicinity of Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea last year.
"Kung
sa perception
ng
mga Pilipino ay
sumasama
ang
ating
kalooban
dahil
sa
pinaggagawa
ng
mga Chinese Coast Guard
sa
ating
mga Philippine Coast Guard vessels,
sa Philippine Navy,
sa fisherman ay
nararapat
lang
talaga na once and for all
ay
tayo ay
umupo
sa
lamesa at
pag-
usapan 'tong
sama
ng
damdamin,
sama
ng
kalooban." Garcia said.
Garcia added that the proper resolution for the two countries is to come up with a "win-win" solution that would ensure the security and safety of Filipino fishermen and public vessels in the country's waters.
According to the PCG chief, it was the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that approved the CCG's request to undertake a port visit to the country.
This would be the third
meeting between the PCG and CCG under 2017 memorandum of agreement between the two countries.
Garcia noted that all issues that will
be discussed between the two coast guards have
been vetted by the DFA.
Asked whether China sees the upcoming port visit as just a visit or sailing on their own waters, Garcia said he does not think the CCG will
be coming to the Philippines to show to the world that the disputed South China Sea is theirs.
"The mere fact that they requested for a port visit is a manifestation that this is part of the diplomatic effort being done by China to deescalate the tension," Garcia said.
Scarborough Shoal
In a March 2019 report to the US Congress, US Indo-Pacific Command head
Adm. Philip Davidson said Filipino fishermen were being regularly harassed and intimated
in the vicinity of Scarborough or
Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Davidson reported to the US Congress that Chinese coast guard vessels "regularly harass and intimidate fishing vessels from our treaty ally, the Philippines, operating near Scarborough Reef,
as well as the fishing fleets of other regional nations."
The Department of National Defense (DND) itself reported that a CCG ship blocked Filipino vessels conducting a resupply mission to the Philippine Navy's BRP Sierra Madre grounded on
Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
In a report to the House of Representatives, the DND
indicated that a CCG ship came as close as 1,600 yards from three Philippine civilian vessels on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in May last year.
The DND report also noted that CCG ships have been regularly monitoring
Ayungin Shoal since January 2019.
"Notably, China regularly deploys at least one CCG vessel perceived to be monitoring the activities there at, including
the arrival of Filipino fishing boats
as well as the Rotation and
Reprovision mission of the [Philippine Navy]," the DND report read.