Robredo rejects joint exploration with China

VICE PRESIDENT Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo has rejected President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to jointly explore the West Philippine Sea ( WPS) with China.

In a television interview with veteran journalist Tina Monzon Palma on Wednesday night, Robredo explained that the country cannot engage in any joint initiative with China since Chinese authorities have allegedly disrespected the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

She said this was done when China refused to adhere to the July 2016 Hague ruling, which junked China’s nine- dash line claim over the South China Sea and declared that the Spratly Islands (which include Mischief Reef), Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are within the Philippines’ EEZ.

“Why would we engage in a joint exploration when they cannot even recognize that we own it? The ruling of the UN Tribunal is clear. We have sovereign rights in our EEZ. What is ours is ours,” Robredo said.

“As for Panatag Shoal, our fishermen have rights to fish there as much as everyone else,” she added, alluding to repeated incidents of Chinese coastguard forcibly taking the catch of Filipino fishermen.

Robredo called on the administration to use The Hague ruling to establish alliances with other claimant- countries in the South China Sea to prevent China’s unabated reclamation activities and militarization in the area.

Aerial photos showed installations of anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile batteries in Fiery Cross and Mischief and Subi Reef and even nuclear warheads in Paracel islands.

The Fiery Cross and Mischief and Subi Reefs are within the Philippines’ EEZ, while Paracel islands lie within Vietnam’s EEZ.