The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has strongly refuted China’s accusations that the country is infringing on its maritime rights, emphasizing that the Philippines is merely defending its own territory.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Padilla responded to the Southern Theater Command’s statement, which accused the Philippines of military provocations and media hype in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) following joint military exercises with the US and Canada.
“Our country is not expansionist. We do not interfere with the territory of other nations. We are simply protecting what is rightfully ours under international law,” Padilla stated.
The 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling dismissed China’s nine-dash line claim and upheld the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the area. However, China refuses to acknowledge the ruling and continues its presence in disputed waters.
Joint Drills and Rising Tensions
This week, Philippine, US, and Canadian forces conducted a multilateral maritime exercise within the Philippines’ EEZ, reinforcing regional cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific. During the drills, the AFP monitored three Chinese navy ships, an oceanographic surveillance ship, and a helicopter in the area.
With continued military collaborations and China’s defiance of international rulings, tensions in the West Philippine Sea remain high.