NSA defends buoys in West PH Sea

The act of placing navigational buoys in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was meant to uphold the Philippines’ sovereignty over the tension-filled waters and ensure the safety of navigators.

This was stressed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año on Thursday, May 25, after China installed their own floating markers in several areas located in the contested waters.

“As a maritime nation, it is imperative that the Philippines prioritizes the maintenance of navigational safety to ensure the protection of our waters and the people who rely on them,” Año said.

The NSA underscored that the country was not competing with other nations when the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) installed floating markers in the WPS two weeks ago.

“These cardinal buoys will indicate the direction of safe waters to prevent passing ships from running aground in these shallow areas,” the NSA said.

“Moreover, the installation of buoys with the Philippine flag further signifies the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction over our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone),” he added.

The PCG installed five navigational buoys in Patag (Flat) Island, Balagtas (Irving) Reef, Kota (Loaita) Island, Panata Island (Lankiam Cay), and Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef from May 10 to 12.

These areas are located in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the WPS.

China responded by reportedly deploying their own buoys in Balagtas Reef, Julian Felipe Reef, and Burgos (Gaven) Reef.

China said there is nothing wrong with these buoys which it said is "in accordance with the law."

The Chinese Embassy in Manila made the statement on Friday, May 26, after a ship tracking data observed that Beijing deployed its largest beacon vessel to the West Philippine Sea, several days after the Philippines did the first move.

Nansha Islands is the Chinese name for Spratly Islands, which are part of the Philippines EEZ, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling.

"China's deployment of buoys in relevant waters of China's Nansha Islands is an act of exercising its sovereignty in accordance with law," the embassy said.

"It aims to ensure the safety of maritime navigation and operations, and provide public goods for passing ships and countries in the region," it added.

Manila and Beijing have overlapping territorial claims in the WPS although the two nations are working to settle their disputes by finalizing a code of conduct in the South China Sea.