By Junex Doronio
MANILA — China should respect the Philippines’ sovereignty and the right to conduct activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
This was stressed on Thursday (04 Jan 2024) by Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office (AFP PAO) chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad who confirmed that Chinese warships shadowed the second joint maritime patrol of the Philippine Navy and the United States Navy in the region.
”Yes, we can confirm the presence of two PLA-N (People’s Liberation Army-Navy) vessels from a distance shadowing the participants of the MCA (maritime cooperative activity). We have identified a PLA-N Destroyer with BN174 and a PLA-N Frigate with BN570,” Trinidad said.
Trinidad, however, said Philippine authorities could not determine yet the intention of China with regard to the shadowing incident.
”The MCA is well within (the) Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We are hoping that China and other foreign countries will respect our sovereignty and right to conduct the activity that is following international law,” he pointed out.
(El Amigo/MNM)
