The United Kingdom will continue to partner closely with the Philippines under the administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in connection with the country’s maritime dispute over the South China Sea issue.
UK Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils made the assurance on Monday after she paid a courtesy call to Marcos at the latter’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
“The UK is also a maritime nation. We are focused on international law, in international maritime law in particular and UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” Beaufils told reporters when asked how her country would help “temper China’s militarization in the South China Sea” under the Marcos administration.
“We’ve been working very closely with the Philippines in the past and will continue to do so, to support maritime law through training but also joint exercises,” the UK envoy said.
“We currently have a few British vessels in the region. We will build on that. Our carrier strike group will be back in this part of the world in 2023 and we’ll continue to work with all partners interested in maintaining international maritime law and UNCLOS and the 2016 arbitral ruling as we move forward in the years to come,” she added.
The 2016 ruling rendered by the United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated the massive claim of China over the South China Sea and upheld the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing has butted heads with the Philippines and other countries on the matter of territorial claims.
In a report, the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said Chinese Coast Guard and militia harassed Filipino vessels in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in three separate incidents over the last two months.
AMTI reported that China challenged vessels conducting marine research and hydrocarbon exploration activities within the Philippines’ EEZ.
In its report, the AMTI said a 60-meter research vessel operated by the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA BFAR) from Palawan was trailed by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel.
A 44.5-meter Parola-class patrol vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard, the BRP Cape Engaño, was also approached east of Palawan, AMTI said.
The AMTI also said a Taiwan Ocean Research Institute vessel Legend has set sail for the Philippines on March 13 as part of a cooperative effort between the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Sciences and Taiwan’s National Central University.
AMTI reported that CCG 5203 left Panganiban (Mischief) Reef on March 23 and began following the Legend as it continued its research 60 nautical miles northwest of Luzon.
Meanwhile, President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos on Thursday said his administration would defend the country’s sovereignty.
