Philippines files protest vs China on flights

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has protested China’s test flights on Kagitingan Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Charles Jose yesterday called China’s action “provocative” and “restricting the freedom of navigation and overflight in the West Philippine Sea.”

“We formally protested on Jan. 8, 2016 the recent test flights conducted by China to the Kagitingan Reef or Fiery Cross Reef,” he said. “These actions by China have elevated tensions and anxiety in the region and are in violation of the spirit and letter of the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties.”

The DFA summoned an official of the Chinese embassy in Manila to hand over the diplomatic protest note to the Chinese government.

The Philippines is concerned about the test flights conducted by China at a newly built airfield in the South China Sea as Manila sees Beijing imposing the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

ADIZ will oblige aircraft flying over the South China Sea to report flight plans to China and abide by its domestic procedures.

“We believe that the other concern that we have is that if this is to happen and if this is not challenged, we’ll have a situation where China will take the position that ADIZ could be imposed and whether this is done in terms of a de facto basis or whether it is official. Of course this would be deemed as unacceptable to us,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said.

Every year more than $5 trillion of world trade is shipped through the South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas, which China claims almost entirely.

The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims.

Since 2010, China and the 10-member ASEAN have been negotiating a legally binding code of conduct to replace the informal rules contained in a political declaration made in Phnom Penh in 2002.

In Washington, foreign and defense ministers of both the Philippines and the United States held talks on trade and security issues, including the US Navy’s plan to hold more freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea.

US ships and planes will have longer time to patrol the disputed sea because they were given access to Philippine naval and air bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which the Supreme Court allowed in a decision on Tuesday.

Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Ash Carter welcomed the high court’s decision as both Philippine and US militaries began discussions on possible locations in the former US colony where American ships and planes will have access.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Britain has been clear over the years and urged all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea not to take actions that would increase tensions, and to avoid anything that could be construed as provocative.

“We also have a very clear position on freedom of navigation and overflight. Freedom of navigation and overflight are non-negotiable. They are red lines for us,” Hammond said during a joint press conference following a meeting with Del Rosario at the DFA.

“We maintain the position that we, as an international maritime and trading nation, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. We expect to continue to exercise those rights,” he added.