Bagong Alyansang Makabayan denounced the Chinese coast guard for its use of water cannons to block Philippine ships from carrying out a resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.
Despite the court arbitral ruling recognizing the sovereign rights of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, China has consistently rejected this by conducting illegal patrols in the area. Instead of removing its ships, China attacked the Philippine Coast Guard and two resupply ships. These are not the actions of a supposedly friendly neighbor.
The attack confirms the futile visit of Rodrigo Duterte who met with Xi Jinping a few weeks ago. It is time for Duterte to reveal what he discussed with Chinese officials because it is apparent that China is not keen on respecting the sovereign rights of the Philippines in the WPS.
The continuing provocative actions of China also prove that the EDCA expansion will not serve as a deterrence and could only inflame tension in the region.
Our territorial integrity is repeatedly violated by China’s illegal patrols and installations in the WPS on one hand, and the expansion of EDCA bases by the US military on the other.
It is wrong to equate the increased military presence and intervention of the US with our national interest since it has its own geopolitical agenda in the region.
We need an independent foreign policy and a government that is committed to asserting our national sovereignty and confronting bullies.
Only a government subservient to imperialists will claim that Filipinos are not capable of defending our territory. Other countries in the region are able to push back against intruders like China without enabling US military meddling. Contrary to the colonial thinking propagated by authorities, the Filipino people are ready to support all diplomatic and peaceful means of asserting our sovereignty without becoming a puppet state of imperialists.
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