The Philippines ought to search joint patrols with Vietnam and Malaysia within the South China Sea to discourage Chinese language aggression within the disputed area, a former Supreme Courtroom justice informed reporters in Manila on Monday.

Antonio Carpio stated Beijing seemed to be profiting from the COVID-19 pandemic to push its presence within the energy-rich sea whereas stopping wanting actions that might lead to armed confrontation and sure attract the US.

“China is taking advantage of the pandemic, of our difficulty right now,” Carpio informed an online discussion board organized by the Overseas Correspondents Affiliation of the Philippines (FOCAP). “It’s time to talk to our neighbors,” he stated. “I think we should have joint patrols with Vietnam and Malaysia.”

Manila can develop the cooperation by together with the British and Australian forces, in addition to its conventional ally, Washington, he stated.

“There are enough countries willing to push back against China,” he stated.

He stated that South China Sea islands the place China has fortified defenses and put in missiles “are daggers pointed at us.”

“China is using intimidation. It is showing us that it has huge warships, fortified islands in the Spratlys. That is the strategy,” Carpio stated, noting nevertheless that China additionally realizes that “if a shooting war starts” Manila might invoke the Mutual Protection Treaty with the US.

Signed in 1951, the treaty calls on the Philippines and the US to come back to one another’s assist in times of exterior aggression or conflict. U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo, in a go to to Manila final yr, stated his authorities was ready to honor that dedication, underscoring that China seemed to be constricting “freedom of navigation” within the sea area.

Beijing claims virtually all the South China Sea, an important waterway by means of which about U.S. $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes yearly, whereas Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan additionally declare components of these waters.

The Spratlys, a series of islands and atolls within the South China Sea, are believed to be sitting atop huge mineral deposits.

Though all claimants have repeatedly agreed to chorus from strikes that might inflame tensions within the area, final yr, a Chinese language vessel rammed a Filipino fishing vessel and left 22 fishermen stranded at sea, till a passing Vietnamese boat picked them up. A Chinese language coast guard ship allegedly did the identical not too long ago to a Vietnamese fishing boat.

Final week, Pompeo accused China of deploying an power survey ship to contested waters off Malaysia to intimidate different South China Sea claimants from growing hydrocarbon assets within the area’s resource-rich waters.

Pompeo reiterated the U.S. place that China is profiting from the pandemic to press its claims within the South China Sea and have interaction in “provocative behavior.”

Hai Yang Di Zhi Eight strikes to space collectively claimed by Vietnam, Malaysia

China’s survey ship, the Hai Yang Di Zhi 8, which arrived off the Malaysian coast with an escort of Chinese language coast guard ships two weeks in the past, operated inside Malaysia’s unique financial zone final week, in keeping with vessel-tracking software program.

The Chinese language vessel sailed close to the West Capella, a drillship contracted by Malaysian state petroleum firm, Petronas, in a transfer that escalated tensions, and prompted Washington to ship the united statesAmerica and Bunker Hill near the world.

On April 24, Hai Yang Di Zhi Eight moved north to an space collectively claimed by Vietnam and Malaysia, about 70 nautical miles from the West Capella. Vessel-tracking software program indicated it was persevering with its survey actions and was nonetheless there as of Monday morning.

The Hai Yang Di Zhi Eight was accompanied by China Coast Guard ships and vessels belonging to a paramilitary fishing fleet that has been identified to place stress on different South China Sea claimants and harass their vessels out of waters claimed by China.

In the meantime, an offshore patrol ship of the Royal Malaysian Navy, the RD Kelantan, moved to the location of the West Capella on April 25, in keeping with the monitoring software program.

Sen. Hontiveros: Exert authorized, diplomatic stress

Only in the near past, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest in opposition to Beijing for an incident the place a Chinese language vessel pointed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy vessel.

On Monday, Sen. Risa Hontiveros additionally filed a decision urging President Rodrigo Duterte’s authorities to “exert legal and diplomatic pressure” to finish China’s actions within the South China Sea.

Citing her personal sources, Hontiveros stated that Chinese language actions within the sea area had brought on about 33 billion pesos (U.S. $611 million) in injury to the native ecosystem yearly.

“China’s sense of entitlement to our seas has caused severe and irreparable harm to our ecosystems,” Hontiveros stated. “We are not a colony, so it is now the right time to demand compensation from China.”

She stated that China had broken more than 1,850 hectares within the Spratlys in the course of the past six years.

“If China pays the reparations owed to us, we can further improve our COVID-19 response and help more Filipinos against the disease,” Hontiveros stated in a press release.

Well being authorities reported 198 new coronavirus circumstances on Monday and 10 more deaths, taking the nation’s infections to 7,777, with a cumulative death toll of 511.

China’s music video on COVID-19 attracts anger, criticism

In the meantime, a China-produced music video aimed toward spotlighting Beijing’s efforts to assist the Philippines battle the coronavirus has sparked criticism and widespread offended feedback on social media.

The four-minute video was launched days after Manila filed diplomatic protests in opposition to Beijing over its strikes within the disputed sea area, Jay Batongbacal, a Manila-based tutorial and analyst, informed ABS-CBN information.

“Everybody knows that China, in the eyes of the Filipino people, is taking away the West Philippine Sea,” he stated, utilizing the native title for the South China Sea. “The timing is really off and the content itself … people find it rather offensive.”

The video, which was funded by the Chinese language embassy in Manila, was titled “Iisang Dagat” (the Tagalog phrase for “One Sea”) and included lyrics written by Chinese language envoy Huang Xilian. It featured, amongst others, Filipina politician Imelda Papin, who was well-liked as a singer within the 1970s.

Video footage confirmed provides and protecting masks donated by Beijing for front-line Philippine well being employees and statements from Philippine officers, together with President Rodrigo Duterte, who was proven thanking the Chinese language authorities.

However as an alternative of constructive feedback, the music video, which was posted on YouTube, gathered 162,000 dislikes and a pair of,400 likes as of Monday.

“This is an insult to our pride and dignity,” a YouTube viewer stated. “China has been stealing and destroying our natural resources. They have taken our islands and territorial waters. Filipinos cannot fish in our own seas because big Chinese ships apprehend, harass and drive them away.”

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online information service.

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