By Junex Doronio
MANILA — The National Security Council (NSC) on Monday (18 December 2023), brushed off apprehensions that China is in “invasion mode” on Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying only one of the Chinese ships remained in the area.
Ray Powell, SeaLight director at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, earlier wrote about a supposed swarming of Chinese vessels inside the Ayungin Shoal within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“On Monday, December 11th, the day after this past weekend’s contentious Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal, an extraordinary 11 Chinese vessels were visible inside the shoal while dozens more clustered around its exterior,” he wrote on the SeaLight’s website.
Powell added: “This highly unusual invasion of the shoal’s interior appears to have been a calculated show of force by Beijing.”
But NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya reputed Powell’s report.
“I got the latest data bago ako lumabas dito sa ating programa na iyong Chinese Maritime Militia ay umalis na po lahat. They already left as of yesterday’s report… Ang naiwan na lang as per our latest monitoring is one Coast Guard vessel, iyong CCG (China Coast Guard) 5204,” Malaya disclosed in a televised briefing.
In a related development, Malaya lauded the joint statement signed by Japanese and Southeast Asian leaders which showed strong support for the Philippines’ position on the WPS.
“Marami sa mga kababayan natin ang nagtataka, bakit iyong mga ibang ASEAN countries ay hindi nagsasalita kapag mayroong mga insidente ng nangyayari sa West Philippine Sea? Kaya ikinatuwa ng National Security Council iyong naging bunga ng pagsusumikap ng ating Pangulong Marcos na mahikayat iyong iba’t ibang bansa na suportahan iyong position ng Pilipinas,” Malaya noted.
(ai/mnm)