Marcos discusses South China Sea clash with China envoy

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos met with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan at Malacañang yesterday and discussed the assault by China Coast Guard personnel on Filipino Navy men stationed in Ayungin Shoal. Jing described the meeting as “very useful, constructive and kind of in-depth exchange of views,” unlike the normal lodging of a diplomatic protest, and focused on finding solutions rather than finger-pointing. Palace sources said Marcos’ meeting with Jing had been arranged prior to the incident in Ayungin Shoal. In Beijing, the foreign ministry said it had “urgently summoned” Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz “to lodge solemn representation over the Philippines’ deliberate provocation and attack” in Ayungin. At a press briefing earlier yesterday, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President stands behind Filipino officials and personnel involved in protecting the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea. “The President condemns these kinds of incidents,” Castro said, referring to the Ayungin Shoal incident. Jing told reporters in an interview in Taguig that the atmosphere in his meeting with Marcos was diplomatic. “It’s really a private discussion. Few people attended and no press,” Jing said. He added that a long range of issues were discussed and not just about Monday’s confrontation between the China Coast Guard and troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Jing stressed that China and the Philippines should talk and resolve its issue. The Chinese envoy, however, noted that it will not accept the 2016 Arbitral Award to be part of the Code of Conduct that concerned parties are trying to agree on in the South China Sea. Asked about the Ayungin Shoal confrontation where two Filipino soldiers were hurt, Jing maintained that the CCG did not provoke anything as its personnel actually approached the BRP Sierra Madre to take photos and videos because there was construction going on in alleged violation of agreements that no such repairs or constructions will be done. On the AI-generated video supposedly depicting Filipinos as monkeys, he said it was not a Chinese government act but that of a media entity in China. On Monday, the Chinese embassy and Beijing’s foreign ministry issued separate statements blaming the Filipinos for starting the confrontation. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also blasted “the false and misleading claims” by the Chinese regarding the Ayungin incident. “The key issue remains: why was a China Coast Guard RHIB (rigid haul inflatable boat) operating within close proximity of BRP Sierra Madre? Its presence was an unlawful intrusion into an area where the Philippines exercises sovereign rights under international law,” the AFP said in a statement. The AFP said the Ayungin faceoff mirrors the June 17, 2024 incident “where similar coercive and violent actions were carried out by China Coast Guard personnel.” AFP spokesman for the West Philippine Sea retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad also countered Chinese claims that it was the Filipinos who instigated the confrontation. “We were there because the two ships, the two boats of the Chinese Coast Guard, ventured up to 30 meters to our ship, BRP Sierra Madre,” he explained. He surmised the Chinese were making up for the setbacks they suffered, including in the information space. “Let’s take two steps backward. In the information space, they’re badly beaten for the past, let’s say two months. Arbitral tribunal 10th anniversary, 44 countries expressed support for us. The AI-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys, they had to disown,” he said. “Next Batanes, they have to disown or distance themselves from the academic group that came out with that report. Bajo de Masinloc, they have to take down their research equipment. So, all over the information space for the past month, they took a beating.” Sen. Francis Pangilinan also condemned the CCG over the Ayungin Shoal incident and called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest. “You are already inside our own backyard, yet you are the ones resorting to violence. Such attacks and the use of force against our personnel violate basic decency and the obligation of states under international law to refrain from the threat or use of force,” he said, addressing the Chinese. Sen. Robinhood Padilla called last Monday’s incident “a blatant affront to our troops and a dangerous escalation of aggression against Filipinos performing their legitimate duties in areas covered by the Philippines’ maritime rights and jurisdiction under international law.” In a statement, Rep. Karl Fernandez Legazpi said “no Filipino serviceman should have to suffer violence for simply doing his duty of protecting our country’s sovereign rights.” “We strongly condemn any act that puts the lives and safety of our uniformed personnel at risk,” Legazpi said. — Michael Punongbayan, Delon Porcalla, Mark Ernest Villeza