The Philippines has rejected an annual summer fishing ban imposed by China in the disputed South China Sea and encouraged its boats to keep fishing in the country’s territorial waters.
The fishing moratorium imposed by China since 1999 runs from May 1 to Aug. 16 and covers areas of the South China Sea — which the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea (WPS) — as well as other waters off China.
“This fishing ban does not apply to our fishermen,” the Philippine National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea said in a statement late on Tuesday.
Photo: AFP
“Our fisher folk are encouraged to go out and fish in our waters in the WPS,” the task force said, as it voiced its opposition to China’s ban imposed over areas within the territory and jurisdiction of the Philippines.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Manila has for years been embroiled in a dispute over Beijing’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over the South China Sea, most of which is also claimed by Taiwan.
An international tribunal in 2016 invalidated China’s claims, but Beijing has rejected the ruling.
Tensions between the two countries recently escalated after Manila accused China of territorial incursions by hundreds of its vessels in the resource-rich waterway.
The Philippines has filed diplomatic protests against China over what it calls the “illegal” presence of the Chinese vessels, which it has said are crewed by militia.
Chinese diplomats have said that the boats are just sheltering from rough seas and have no militia aboard.
The task force said that it had spotted seven “Chinese Maritime Militia” at the Sabina shoal in the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島) on Tuesday last week, which dispersed after being challenged by the Philippine Coast Guard.
Five returned two days later, but left after the coast guard returned, it said.
The Sabina shoal is about 130 nautical miles (240km) from the western Philippine island of Palawan.
Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) — the largest island in the Spratlys — has been administered by Taiwan since 1956.
“The Philippines is not deterred from defending our national interest, patrimony and our dignity as a people with all that we have,” the task force said.
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