‘Philippines not scared of China using military force’

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is not intimidated by China’s use of military force and sees no need to utilize its own military assets to carry out law enforcement operations in the country’s territorial waters, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said yesterday.

He was reacting to China’s recent deployment of a People’s Liberation Army Navy warship and a fighter jet to harass Philippine Coast Guard vessels and aircraft in the West Philippine Sea.

An incident on Monday saw two Chinese vessels colliding with each other while trying to corner PCG vessel BRP Suluan in the vicinity of Panatag Shoal.

“I think they will intensify their actions, perhaps using force to intimidate us but just the same we can’t be intimidated because we are on the right side,” Año said.

“We won’t start trouble even if they continue doing what we call ‘new normal.’ They make up for their lack of legal and historical basis by engaging in illegal, aggressive actions,” he added.

The Philippine Navy said it has observed a notable increase in the number of China Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels in the vicinity of Panatag Shoal in the past several days. There were seven CCG boats and 13 MMVs detected in the area yesterday.

Asked if authorities would make adjustments in dealing with China in light of the recent incidents, Año said the government would simply continue protecting the country’s territory with President Marcos himself declaring that there would be no backing down.

He stressed that there is no maritime or territorial dispute with China to speak of because the WPS belongs to the Philippines based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as affirmed by the 2016 arbitral award.

Año said it is clear that the Philippines is on the side of the law as no other country in the world supports China’s massive claims, including its illegal 10-dash line.

He stressed there are “no major policy decisions” yet by the administration that would involve the military in any confrontation at sea with China.

Meanwhile, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said no local shipbuilding company currently has the experience to build ships for the PCG and the Navy.

“One of the current problems is that under the procurement law, there should always be a track record. All those that would hire would be looking for experience,” said Marina administrator Sonia Malaluan.

She said she is optimistic that the PCG’s contract with the French shipbuilding company OCEA would open doors for the shipbuilding industry in the country.

Leading global defense technology company Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, is proposing a new industrial collaboration project as part of its offer to supply F-16 multirole fighter jets to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. – Ghio Ong, Evelyn Macairan