ROILO GOLEZ, Philippine National Security Adviser (2001-2004). The world and the Philippines as Roilo Golez sees it. With focus on national security, geopolitics, geo-security, economics, science and government.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Scarborough Shoal - If this is mutually called lifting of China's blockade, that would be both a diplomatic and legal coup for President Duterte.
Golez: Scarborough Shoal - If this is mutually called lifting of China's blockade, that would be both a diplomatic and legal coup for President Duterte. Hope it will be clarified and not left unspoken. Unspoken means it is not binding. And Chinese coast guard ships can go back anytime.
China concedes to Duterte’s request, ending its blockade at disputed shoal
In this image from 2014, a Chinese Coast Guard ship attempts to block a Philippine government vessel as the latter tries to enter Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Pic: AP.
FOLLOWING the recent high-profile visit of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to China, Chinese vessels have vacated Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, according to reports.
Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Friday that Chinese coast guard ships have departed the area, calling it a “welcome development”, reported Reuters.
“Since three days ago there are no longer Chinese ships, coast guard, or navy, in the Scarborough area,” he said, adding that it was the first time in four years that Philippine fishermen could access the shoal unimpeded.
The shoal, which is located some 124 nautical miles from the Philippine mainland, is rich in fish stocks and a boon to local fishermen.
Since 2012, both countries have had several tense standoffs over which country had sovereignty over the area, culminating in Manila bringing the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
In July this year, ties between the two countries took a hit when the Hague ruled in the Philippines’ favor in the territorial dispute.
But during his visit to Beijing earlier this week, Duterte hinted that Philippine fisherman “may” be able to return to the shoal. “Let us just wait for a few more days,” he said.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, when asked to confirm that Chinese ships had withdrawn from the area, merely said that the two countries “were able to work together on issues regarding the South China Sea and appropriately resolve disputes”.
It is unclear whether the agreement is an informal or provisional deal, and Duterte’s spokesman, Ernesto Abella, offered no comment when asked regarding the matter.
“All I can say, at this stage, it has been observed there are no longer Chinese coastguard ships in the area,” he told reporters.
Speaking to the Washington Post, Richard Javad Heydarian, an assistant professor of political science at Manila’s De La Salle University, said a change in the status quo at Scarborough Shoal would ease tension between China and the Philippines in the short-term, but the long-term picture, however, is less clear.
“It’s too early to say whether this will stand over time,” he said.
It remains unlikely, though, that either side will relinquish their claim to sovereignty.
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