The Philippines condemns China’s construction of a floating barrier in the disputed South China Sea

CNN
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The Philippines on Sunday condemned the Chinese Coast Guard’s erection of what it described as a “floating barrier” in a disputed area in the South China Sea, saying it prevents Filipino boats from entering the area and fishing there.

In a statement on the website

“The Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources strongly condemn the Chinese Coast Guard’s installation of a floating barrier in the southeastern part of Bajo de Masinloc, preventing Philippine fishing boats from entering the shallow waters and depriving them of their fishing activities and livelihoods,” the statement read.

Sharing photos of the alleged floating barrier, Tarriela claimed that three Chinese Coast Guard boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the floating barrier after a Philippine government ship arrived in the area.

The Philippines’ National Security Council said on Monday that it would take “all appropriate measures to remove barriers and protect the rights of our fishermen in the area.”

The barriers violate the Philippines’ traditional fishing rights affirmed by the 2016 resolution International Court National Security Advisor Eduardo Año said in a statement that the ruling will be issued against China’s claims in the South China Sea.

Beijing on Monday defended its actions, saying it had “indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Island and its adjacent waters,” using the Chinese name for the disputed shoal, and accusing the Philippine ship of “intruding” without permission.

“The Chinese Coast Guard took necessary measures in accordance with the law to stop and remove the other ship, and the relevant operation was carried out with professional restraint,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said during a regular press conference.

According to the Filipino fishermen, Chinese vessels “usually install floating barriers when they observe a large number of Filipino fishermen in the area,” the statement said.

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, is a small but strategic reef and fertile fishing ground located 130 miles (200 km) west of the Philippine island of Luzon.

The shallow island, which China calls Huangyan Island, is one of a number of disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which is home to various territorial disputes.

In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a historic maritime dispute, concluding that China had no legal basis to claim historic rights over much of the South China Sea.

China ignored the ruling.

The situation comes days after the Philippine Coast Guard Shared shots Vast areas of coral are broken and bleached, leading officials to accuse China of causing massive destruction in the region. The Chinese Foreign Ministry rejected these allegations, calling them “false and baseless.”