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US kinastigo pag-'laser' ng Tsina sa Philippine Coast Guard sa Ayungin Shoal

James Relativo - Philstar.com
US kinastigo pag-'laser' ng Tsina sa Philippine Coast Guard sa Ayungin Shoal
China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5205 directed a military-grade laser light at BRP Malapascua, which was on a rotation and resupply mission to assist the Philippine Navy posted in Ayungin Shoal on February 6, 2023.
Released/Philippine Coast Guard

MANILA, Philippines — Nagpakita ng suporta ang gobyerno ng Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas matapos dahasin ng Beijing ang ilang miyembro ng Philippine Coast Guard sa Ayungin Shoal gamit ang ilang "laser devices" — bagay na nangyari sa loob ng West Philippine Sea.

Ika-6 ng Pebrero nang mangyari ang insidente habang tinutulungan ng BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) ang Philippine Navy sa isang "rotation and resupply mission." Sinasabing Chinese Coast Guard vessel na may bow number na 5205 ang may kagagawan ng insidente.

"The United States stands with our Philippine allies in the face of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Coast Guard’s reported use of laser devices against the crew of a Philippine Coast Guard ship on February 6 in the South China Sea," ani US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price, ika-13 ng Pebrero (oras sa Amerika).

"The PRC’s conduct was provocative and unsafe, resulting in the temporary blindness of the crewmembers of the BRP Malapascua and interfering with the Philippines’ lawful operations in and around Second Thomas Shoal."

Sa kabila nito, sinisi ni Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Wenbin ang Philippine Coast Guard sa kanilang kinasapitan dahil prinoprotektahan lang daw ng Chinese Coast Guard ang kanilang "soberanya" at "maritime rights" sa naturang lugar.

Ito'y kahit na nasa loob ng West Philippine Sea ang Ayungin Shoal, na siyang bahagi ng exclusive economic zone ng Pilipinas lalo. Taong 2016 pa nang katigan ng Permanent Court of Arbitration ang Maynila sa soberanyang karapatan nito sa lugar.

"As reflected in an international tribunal’s legally binding decision issued in July 2016, the People’s Republic of China has no lawful maritime claims to Second Thomas Shoal," dagdag pa ni Price.

"The United States reiterates, pursuant to the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines, and we call upon the PRC to abide by the ruling."

Matagal nang hindi kinikilala ng Beijing ang naturang desisyon ng international tribunal, dahilan para igiit nito ang direktang mga negosasyon sa Pilipinas.

Enero lang nang bumisita si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa China para kitain si Chinese Presidente Xi Jinping sa isang state visit kung saan napagkasunduan ng dalawang bansa na reresolbahin ang maritime issues sa "friendly consultation." 

Muli namang idiniin ng Estados Unidos na handa itong "sumaklolo" kung sakaling magkaroon ng armadong pag-atake sa mga sundalo, public vessels, eroplano, atbp. ng Pilipinas bilang bahagi ng Article IV ng 1951 U.S. Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

AYUNGIN SHOAL

CHINA

CHINESE COAST GUARD

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD

WEST PHILIPPINE SEA

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