Philippines Defends Right to Escoda Shoal, Despite CCP Rhetoric

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, Commodore Jay Tarriela (L), talks with Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar during a press conference on a recent incident with Chinese ships at the Second Thomas Shoal as they talk with reporters in Quezon City, Philippines, on Oct. 23, 2023. Aaron Favila/AP Photo

Philippines Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela on Aug. 17 defended Philippine vessels’ right to be in the Escoda Shoal, an atoll belonging to the Spratly Islands, after the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing the Philippines of action that “infringes on China’s sovereignty.”

Tensions between the Philippines and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the South China Sea have recently escalated into skirmishes, despite an agreement the two countries reached on July 24.

The CCP has long claimed all of the South China Sea and routinely makes its military presence known in the area, often ignoring agreements it has signed.

On Aug. 16, a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson told the Chinese state-run Global Times that the Escoda Shoal, which the Chinese call Xianbin Jiao, is Chinese territory.

“The entry and prolonged stay of Philippine vessels in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao without authorization seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and poses a severe threat to peace and stability in the #SouthChinaSea, FM [Foreign Ministry] spokesperson said on Friday,” the Global Times posted on social media.

Tarriela responded to the post, stating that the Escoda Shoal is Philippine territory.

“Escoda Shoal is located within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award,” he wrote, referring to a 2016 international ruling from The Hague that rejected the CCP’s claim over territory the Philippines have fished for centuries.

Tarriela said the Philippine Coast Guard also has permission to patrol the Escoda Shoal without permission from any other country, and maintains a presence there to protect against illegal poachers and illegal fishing activity that damage the marine environment.

The CCP has ignored the 2016 ruling, along with other international agreements.

Tarriela stated that the CCP “should stop citing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as they have not honored or followed a single provision of that declaration.”

The 2002 declaration, signed by several Pacific island nations and China, affirmed the nations’ commitment to free navigation of the South China Sea in accordance with international law and pledged to resolve any territorial disputes through peaceful means.

“As far as the region is concerned, it is only Beijing that constantly violates this declaration,” Tarriela wrote.

“They have been deploying their large Coast Guard vessels there, complemented by their numerous Chinese Maritime Militia. Additionally, they have deployed their naval assets in Escoda Shoal, and these actions undermine stability in these waters and contribute to escalating tensions.”

The Chinese military has opted for displays of force over “friendly consultation” in the years following, leading the Philippines to seek international arbitration in 2012 and The Hague to rule in its favor in 2016.

The Escoda Shoal disagreement occurred a week after an incident over the nearby Scarborough Shoal. On Aug. 8, a Philippine Air Force aircraft was making a routine patrol over the Scarborough Shoal when two Chinese aircraft dropped flares in its flight path.

The Philippines said this endangered their crew, and the Chinese military responded by stating their actions were “professional” and “justified” and that the Philippine air force had instead interfered with routine Chinese operations.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters on Aug. 11 that the actions of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force over the disputed territory were “unjustified, illegal, and reckless.”

“We have hardly started to calm the waters, and it is already worrying that there could be instability in our airspace,” he said. Marcos said the Philippines was committed to resolving issues through peaceful means and urged Beijing to respond with diplomacy and “responsible action.”

Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Aug. 12 announced that the Philippines would be filing a diplomatic protest with China after the aircraft incident, as it was part of a “continuous pattern” of behavior demonstrated by Beijing in the South China Sea.

The region—through which an estimated $3 trillion in annual trade passes—is rich in oil and natural deposits and is a key strategic military zone for both China and the United States.

In 2021, a video of a CCP adviser surfaced in which he laid out the CCP’s plans to lay claim to the South China Sea through underhanded tactics such as using civilian fishing vessels to advance its military ambitions.