As China Swarms the West Philippine Sea, the U.S. Tells It to Back Off
On December 14, Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. revealed that China still has a significant presence around features in the West Philippine Sea and expressed “great concern” over the matter. China has reportedly stationed vessels near Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal. Sabina Shoal is 147 kilometers away from Palawan, while Iroquois Reef is 237 kilometers away from Palawan, which are well within the 200-nautical mile or 322-kilometer delineation mark from the baseline, comprising the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The Philippines has expressed alarm over China’s illegal occupation of the reefs. The United States backed its oldest Asian ally and reminded China to keep off the West Philippine Sea. Dozens of Chinese vessels have been moving closer to Palawan in recent months, according to a PNA report.
"The reported escalating swarms of PRC (People's Republic of China) vessels in the vicinity of Iroquois Reef and Sabina Shoal in the Spratly Islands interfere with the livelihoods of Philippine fishing communities, and also reflect continuing disregard for other South China Sea claimants and states lawfully operating in the region," State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday.
"The United States stands with our ally, the Philippines, in upholding the rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, as guaranteed under international law," Price added.
In 2013, the Philippines filed a case against China at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) concerning maritime questions in the West Philippine Sea. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration handed out a landmark victory for the Philippines and declared China’s nine-dash lines and historical claims on the entire South China Sea illegal. It also declared key features in the West Philippine Sea as falling within the Philippines’ maritime zone.
What is the West Philippine Sea?
The West Philippine Sea is the part of the sea on the west side of the Philippines in which maritime rights of the country extends. It has different maritime zones, each with special maritime rights exclusive to the Philippines.
The Different Maritime Zones of an Archipelagic State
