US: No legal basis for China claims in South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines can count on continued US support amid repeated harassment at sea by the Chinese whose maritime claims in the South China Sea (SCS) have no legal basis, according to the US State Department.

“There’s no legal basis for the PRC’s maritime claims in the South China Sea, and the dangerous ways in which it attempts… to enforce those claims put Filipino lives and livelihood at risk,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a press briefing yesterday, referring to China by its official name.

“It is up to the Philippines to decide how they operate their vessels in areas where it enjoys the freedom of navigation on the high seas under international law, and I wouldn’t want to forecast what this particular incident might mean other than to say that we continue to support our Philippine allies,” he said.

Miller’s assurance came after the departure from Escoda Shoal of the only Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship stationed in the area.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who also chairs the National Maritime Council (NMC), confirmed on Sunday that the BRP Teresa Magbanua left Escoda Shoal after being deployed in the area in the past five months.

Bersamin said the PCG vessel had to sail back to its home port in Palawan so that it could undergo repairs and allow its crew to have furlough and attend to their medical needs.

At a meeting of the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism in Beijing on Wednesday last week, the Philippines firmly voiced its position that Escoda Shoal is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro had a “frank” and “candid” exchange of views with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong on managing the situation in the West Philippine Sea, including in Escoda Shoal.

It was during the meeting that Chen asked Philippine officials to immediately pull out a PCG ship from Escoda Shoal, apparently referring to Teresa Magbanua.

“Emphasizing that Escoda Shoal is within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, Undersecretary Lazaro reaffirmed the consistent position of the Philippines and explored ways to lower the