The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) protested China's unilateral imposition of a fishing ban in the South China Sea (SCS) or the West Philippine Sea on Monday.
The DFA reported that China's fishing ban began on May 1 and will extend until August 16.
In a diplomatic communication dated May 30, 2022, the DFA stated that Manila "expressed its objection to the moratorium covering regions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) over which the Philippines has sovereign rights and jurisdiction."
It added paragraph 716 to the 12 July 2016 final and binding Award on the South China Sea Arbitration, which states that China "violated Article 56 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea with regard to the Philippines' sovereign rights over the living resources of its exclusive economic zone."
In response to a request for comment on the DFA's diplomatic objection, the Chinese Embassy in Manila simply replied "Noted."
The DFA reaffirmed its ongoing objection to China's "annual practice of proclaiming a fishing ban over regions that exceed far beyond China's legitimate maritime entitlements under the 1982 Unclos."
The declaration of a moratorium on fishing in the WPS "has no legal basis and undermines the mutual trust, confidence, and respect that should underpin bilateral relations," the statement said. This was most recently affirmed by Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Xi Jinping during their tele-summit on April 8, 2022.
The Philippines demanded that China abide by its duties under international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the final and binding SCS Arbitration Award.
Manila also demanded that Beijing stop and desist from conducting illegal operations that undermine Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in its maritime zones; and abide by its responsibilities under the "2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties" in the South China Sea.
On April 13, 2022, the DFA summoned a senior official from the Chinese Embassy about the alleged "harassment" of a Taiwanese-manned research vessel by a Chinese Coast Guard ship in the West Philippine Sea in March, according to a text message from DFA Deputy Assistant Secretary Gonar Musor.
The DFA dispatched a senior embassy official to protest the CCG's harassment of the research vessel RV Legend, which was engaged in "approved marine scientific research activity" with Filipino experts aboard.
In a statement issued late Monday evening, the department disclosed it takes necessary diplomatic action in response to infringement of Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights within our maritime jurisdiction.
