PH slams Chinese ‘intrusion’ claims

AFP

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday brushed off claims by the Chinese navy that one of its patrol ships “illegally intruded” in the waters of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc.

Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the claims were “all part of… malign info operations more likely for their internal audience.”

“Only the Philippine Navy and other Philippine-flagged law enforcement ships have the authority and legal bases to challenge any ship within maritime zones,” Trinidad said.

According to the People’s Liberation Army Navy Southern Theater Command, the “Philippine Corvette 36,” referring to the Philippine Navy’s BRP Apolinario Mabini, “illegally intruded into the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Dao” on Sunday.

READ: Palace airs concern over recent China aggression in Bajo de Masinloc

The Philippine Navy “seriously violated relevant provisions of Chinese law and international law,” it added.

Panatag Shoal lies 222 kilometers (120 nautical miles) from the mainland west of Luzon-well within the country’s exclusive economic zone, and nearly 926 km (500 nautical miles) from the nearest Chinese territory, the island province of Hainan.

China took control of the Panatag Shoal in 2012 after a two-month standoff with the Philippine Navy.

China claims nearly entirely the South China Sea and has overlapping claims with most of its Southeast Asian neighbors, including the Philippines.