China is persisting and in some cases even escalating its water wars in the Pacific despite the fact that the US is supposedly strengthening its de4fence capabilities in the Pacific. President Trump’s new defence policy is supposedly to focus less on defence in Europe and the Near East to instead increase focus on the Pacific. So far, this new US policy has not deterred China in the Pacific, and concerns are also growing of China’s expansion of its space infrastructure in Latin America.
Late last year, the Biden Administration warned China to halt its threatening drills against Taiwan. Since then China has opted for sabotage against Taiwan’s undersea cables. China’s intimidation against the Philippines is also increasing. Following last year’s attempts by China to exclude The Philippines from the Sabina Shoal, which is its own territory, China is now trying to block access to the Pagasa Island which is also the location of a Filipino military base.
A group of Filipino citizens are on their way to the Pagasa Island, on what is described as the Atin Ito Convoy, to hold a music concert for peace and in support of the Filipinos on the island. The Chinese Coast Guard is currently trying to block their way. Below is a statement on the mission by Philippine Coast Guard.
Earlier this week, Argentina fired on a Chinese ship which was illegally fishing in its waters.
PCG Update on Atin Ito Convoy En Route to Pagasa as of 3 PM Today
As of 3 PM today, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reports the presence of two vessels from the China Coast Guard with bow numbers CCG 3306 and CCG 21549, which have been observed shadowing the Atin Ito convoy approximately 58 nautical miles off the coast of El Nido. To safeguard the civilian vessel MV Kapitan Oca, carrying both Filipino and foreign civilians, the PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has deployed its two vessels, BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Malapascua. In response to the unauthorized patrol by the China Coast Guard, the PCG vessels have initiated radio communications to challenge CCG 3306’s claim of operating under the jurisdiction of the People’s Republic of China. BRP Melchora Aquino has asserted that this area lies within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, emphasizing that the China Coast Guard vessels lack legal authority over these waters, as outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. At present, CCG 3306 is located 4 NM nautical miles from the Atin Ito vessel, while CCG 21549 is also positioned 4 NM nautical miles away. The Philippine Coast Guard remains dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of all civilians participating in the civil society-led musical concert on Pagasa Island.
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