China bucks fishing ban in Scarborough

China opposed yesterday the government’s plan to impose a ban on fishing in Scarborough Shoal, saying the Philippines has no sovereignty over the disputed reef.

In a statement, the Chinese Embassy expressed "grave concern" over statements attributed to National Security Adviser Roilo Golez which it perceived to be against China.

The embassy also urged the government to restrain him and other Philippine officials from making any statement that "poisons our bilateral relations."

"The Chinese has noticed the related report and expresses grave concern over it," the embassy said in its statement, reiterating Bei-jing’s claim to Scarborough Shoal, which the Chinese call Huangyan island and Filipinos, Panganiban Reef.

"The Huangyan island is an integral part of the Chinese territory. Its adjacent waters has always been the Chinese fishermen’s traditional fishing ground," the statement added.

The government had earlier announced it would impose a fishing ban on the reef and surrounding waters after 10 Chinese fishing vessels were caught on March 13 poaching endangered giant clams.

Golez, for his part, expressed alarm the intrusion of Chinese fishermen in the reef was part of a "pattern" that Beijing is allegedly following in order to become a dominant force in the region.

Golez also called on China to step up efforts to control the flow of illegal drugs into the Philippines, which considers the drug trade as a grave national security threat.

Golez cited illegal narcotics factories in five provinces in eastern China, allegedly operated by "rogue" Chinese military officials, which ship every year up to P60 billion worth of shabu.

He said he considered the P265-billion annual drug trade, an amount equivalent to eight percent of the country’s economic output as the "greatest threat" to national security.

He further said China’s drug dealers account for about 95 percent of the shabu supply and that Beijing’s efforts were not yet sufficient to control them.

"We have noticed such statement. We express intense dissatisfaction in it. Such irresponsible remark is merely a groundless fabrication," the embassy said.

"The Chinese government is strongly against crimes such as drug trafficking. Laws and regulations have been tabled to punish such criminal activities," the embassy said.

At the same time, the embassy also hinted at possible cooperation in fighting the drug menace Golez reported.

"The Chinese government treasures the China-Philippines friendly relations," its statement said.

"The Chinese government will work ways with the Philippine government and other countries to fight all kinds of transnational crime including drug trafficking," it added.

Golez’s comments were the latest strain between the two countries relations, especially since police forces in the region have expressed alarm at the drug supply allegedly emanating from China.