Philippines says Chinese ships have stopped chasing Filipino fishermen from contested shoal

[Xiaoshu]

BEIJING — Filipino fisherman were able to fish this week in waters near the disputed Scarborough Shoal without being chased away by Chinese vessels, the Philippines said Friday, suggesting a potential deal with China over the disputed South China Sea. 

 

The news comes about a week after President Rodrigo Duterte made a high-profile visit to Beijing, praising his Chinese hosts while calling for a “separation†from his longtime ally, the United States.   

 

In the run-up to Duterte’s visit, there were rumors that Beijing and Manila were close to a deal on fishing rights at Scarborough, which China has controlled since 2012, however the trip ended without any agreement announced.

 

Earlier this week, however, Duterte hinted that Filipino fisherman â€œmay†be able to return. â€œWe'll just wait for a few more days,†he said — he may have been right.

 

Filipino fishermen told reporters from ABS-CBN News, a local tv station, that they were allowed near the shoal on Oct. 25 and fished there for three days without interference from Chinese coast guard vessels. A report by the Inquirer, a local newspaper, said eight groups of fisherman were able to fish at the shoal on Oct. 26.

 

Duterte spokesman Ernesto Abella on Friday appeared to confirm those reports, telling journalists in Manila that Filipino fishermen were operating at Scarborough Shoal without harassment from Chinese boats. â€œAll I can say is that at this stage, it has been observed that there are no longer any Chinese coast guards in the area,†he said, according Filipino press reports. 

 

At a briefing later, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said only that â€œboth sides are conducting official conversations on the issue.â€

 

It is not clear yet whether the apparent return is part of a deal between Manila and Beijing — none has yet been reported. Even a provisional or informal arrangement, if confirmed, would signal a major shift in an issue of consequence for the Philippines, China and the United States. 

 

Scarborough is a flashpoint in the South China Sea conflict. The shoal, which the Chinese call Huangyan and the Filipinos call Panatag, is a u-shaped chain of reefs and rocks that lies about 120 miles off the coast of Luzon, not far from Subic Bay, the former U.S. naval base that still sees regular visits from U.S. ships. 

China seized control of the shoal in 2012. Since then, Filipino boats approaching the shoal have been routinely chased away by Chinese coast guard ships, rammed, or hit with water cannon — a source of anger to many Filipinos.

 

The standoff between Manila and Beijing came to a head this summer when a European court issued a sweeping rebuke of China’s claims to most of the South China Sea, including Scarborough.

 

But rather than press China on the ruling, the Philippines’ new president, Duterte, surprised many by downplaying — though not outright dismissing — the ruling. 

 

Duterte has said he will not relinquish territory, but is willing to talk to China about ways to diffuse tension and get economic ties back on track. A deal on fishing, if confirmed, would be a domestic political victory. 

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said he would not be surprised to see a return of Filipino boats.

 

“Duterte requested this concession during his trip to Beijing last week, and if China had refused his request he would have had egg all over his face and nothing to show for his pro-China stance,†he said. 

 

An agreement on fishing would allow China and the Philippines to press ahead with rapprochement, potentially driving a wedge deeper into U.S.-Philippine relations. 

 

It would also send a message to other countries in Southeast Asia that have clashed with China on maritime issues, Storey said. The message: â€œDon't challenge our claims and in return we will be magnanimous and allow you to share the resources that rightfully belong to us.â€

 

Richard Javad Heydarian, an assistant professor of political science at Manila’s De La Salle University, said a change in the status quo at Scarborough Shoal would ease tension between China and the Philippines in the short term, though the long-term picture looked less clear.

 

China remains unlikely to compromise on the key question — sovereignty — meaning the dispute stands. “It’s too early to say whether this will stand over time,†he said. BEIJING — Filipino fisherman were able to fish this week in waters near the disputed Scarborough Shoal without being chased away by Chinese vessels, the Philippines said Friday, suggesting a potential deal with China over the disputed South China Sea. 

 

The news comes about a week after President Rodrigo Duterte made a high-profile visit to Beijing, praising his Chinese hosts while calling for a “separation†from his longtime ally, the United States. 

  

In the run-up to Duterte’s visit, there were rumors that Beijing and Manila were close to a deal on fishing rights at Scarborough, which China has controlled since 2012, however the trip ended without any agreement announced.

 

Earlier this week, however, Duterte hinted that Filipino fisherman â€œmay†be able to return. â€œWe'll just wait for a few more days,†he said — he may have been right.

 

Filipino fishermen told reporters from ABS-CBN News, a local tv station, that they were allowed near the shoal on Oct. 25 and fished there for three days without interference from Chinese coast guard vessels. A report by the Inquirer, a local newspaper, said eight groups of fisherman were able to fish at the shoal on Oct. 26.

 

Duterte spokesman Ernesto Abella on Friday appeared to confirm those reports, telling journalists in Manila that Filipino fishermen were operating at Scarborough Shoal without harassment from Chinese boats. â€œAll I can say is that at this stage, it has been observed that there are no longer any Chinese coast guards in the area,†he said, according Filipino press reports. 

 

At a briefing later, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said only that â€œboth sides are conducting official conversations on the issue.â€

 

It is not clear yet whether the apparent return is part of a deal between Manila and Beijing — none has yet been reported. Even a provisional or informal arrangement, if confirmed, would signal a major shift in an issue of consequence for the Philippines, China and the United States. 

 

Scarborough is a flashpoint in the South China Sea conflict. The shoal, which the Chinese call Huangyan and the Filipinos call Panatag, is a u-shaped chain of reefs and rocks that lies about 120 miles off the coast of Luzon, not far from Subic Bay, the former U.S. naval base that still sees regular visits from U.S. ships. 

 

China seized control of the shoal in 2012. Since then, Filipino boats approaching the shoal have been routinely chased away by Chinese coast guard ships, rammed, or hit with water cannon — a source of anger to many Filipinos.

 

The standoff between Manila and Beijing came to a head this summer when a European court issued a sweeping rebuke of China’s claims to most of the South China Sea, including Scarborough.

But rather than press China on the ruling, the Philippines’ new president, Duterte, surprised many by downplaying — though not outright dismissing — the ruling. 

 

Duterte has said he will not relinquish territory, but is willing to talk to China about ways to diffuse tension and get economic ties back on track. A deal on fishing, if confirmed, would be a domestic political victory. 

Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said he would not be surprised to see a return of Filipino boats.

 

“Duterte requested this concession during his trip to Beijing last week, and if China had refused his request he would have had egg all over his face and nothing to show for his pro-China stance,†he said. 

 

An agreement on fishing would allow China and the Philippines to press ahead with rapprochement, potentially driving a wedge deeper into U.S.-Philippine relations. 

 

It would also send a message to other countries in Southeast Asia that have clashed with China on maritime issues, Storey said. The message: â€œDon't challenge our claims and in return we will be magnanimous and allow you to share the resources that rightfully belong to us.â€

 

Richard Javad Heydarian, an assistant professor of political science at Manila’s De La Salle University, said a change in the status quo at Scarborough Shoal would ease tension between China and the Philippines in the short term, though the long-term picture looked less clear.

 

China remains unlikely to compromise on the key question — sovereignty — meaning the dispute stands. “It’s too early to say whether this will stand over time,†he said. 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/report-filipino-fishermen-return-to-fish-shoal-contested-with-china/2016/10/28/51d51eb4-9cb3-11e6-b4c9-391055ea9259_story.html#comments

[Queen's Mine]

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

 

 

Highlights about South China Sea

 

 

18. Both sides commit to enhance cooperation between their respective Coast Guards, to address maritime emergency incidents, as well as humanitarian and environmental concerns in the South China Sea, such as safety of lives and property at sea and the protection and preservation of the marine environment, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law including the 1982 UNCLOS.

 

40.Both sides exchange views on issues regarding the South China Sea. Both sides affirm that contentious issues are not the sum total of the China-Philippines bilateral relationship. Both sides exchange views on the importance of handling the disputes in the South China Sea in an appropriate manner. Both sides also reaffirm the importance of maintaining and promoting peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, addressing their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the 1982 UNCLOS.

 

41. Both sides recall the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of ASEAN Member States and China on the Full and Effective Implementation of the DOC adopted in Vientiane on 25 July 2016. Both sides commit to the full and effective implementation of DOC in its entirety, and work substantively toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) based on consensus.

 

42. Both sides agree to continue discussions on confidence-building measures to increase mutual trust and confidence and to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. In this regard, in addition to and without prejudice to other mechanisms, a bilateral consultation mechanism can be useful, which will meet regularly on current and other issues of concern to either side on the South China Sea. Both sides also agree to explore other areas of cooperation.

[Miracle Mind!]

I don't see this lasting because humans are greedy. When you are talking over one billion people and the majority of them is poor someone will break.