China's Coast Guard Drills Near Philippine Ship Are Nothing But Face-Saving Theater in South China Sea
China is losing face to the world After an embarrassing sea collision with a Chinese Navy destroyer near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea, the Chinese Coast Guard made a display of its capabilities around Ayungin Shoal.
It was nothing but a face-saving maritime law enforcement drill and a show of its unparalleled prowess in asserting its illegal and excessive claim in the South China Sea. As Orientals, it is important for the Chinese not to lose face in front of others. They value their face above all else. But the Chinese are not as extreme as the Japanese, who commit suicide, or “harakiri,” or the ritual “seppuku” when they fail or embarrassed. China has to recover its reputation as the world’s largest naval and coast guard forces in terms of the number of ships. In terms of tonnage, the United States still has the largest navy in the world, with 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers and several amphibious assault vessels, and a few helicopter carriers.
The recent Chinese Coast Guard drills around Ayungin Shoal, where a rusting Philippine Navy transport, BRP Sierra Madre, has sat for more than 25 years, are disturbing and concerning. China sent five of its Coast Guard vessels near Ayungin Shoal, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, to conduct a rare exercise. At least 11 rigid-hulled rubber boats mounted with heavy machine guns were launched from the Coast Guard vessels during the exercise.
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They circled the rusting World War II-vintage many times but did not approach it. The large vessels did some maneuvers and fired water cannons at an imaginary ship. No other vessel passes through the shoal except the Philippines when its civilian supply boats regularly deliver fuel, food, water, and other provisions to a detachment assigned aboard BRP Sierra Madre.
The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying it was aware of the drills, but reminded China of a provisional deal it made to allow a humanitarian mission to the BRP Sierra Madre. There was also a tacit recognition that the Philippines has control and jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal by occupation. Chinese actions against BRP Sierra Madre is not only a red line, but they could trigger the 1951 Mutual Defense treaty (MDT).
China claimed almost the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which is actually the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). No country has recognized China’s illegal and expansive claim. It was even repudiated by an international arbitration court in The Hague in 2016. Its claims are based on a Ming Dynasty map is hogwash and has no legal basis.
In short, China is standing on weak legs in making its claims. China’s maritime operations have been focused on four areas within the South China Sea in the Philippines sector – Bajo de Masinloc, Reed Bank, Ayungin Shoal, and Sandy Cay near Pagasa or Thitu island, the Philippine-held island in the disputed waters. These areas were constantly patrolled by Philippine Navy and Coast Guard vessels. There are also regular maritime domain awareness (MDA) overflights to monitor the situation in the areas. China has sent dozens, sometimes nearly 100 Navy, Coast Guard, and militia vessls in the South China Sea. China should lose face for making claims on South China Sea, more than the collision between its two vessels.
The collision is an isolated incident, but its claims are not. In fact, China has formally submitted claims to the United Nations over Bajo de Masinloc, which it illegally grabbed control of in June 2012. An arbitral court has declared that no one has sovereignty over the shoal as a fishing ground for artisanal fishermen from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The Philippines also rejected China’s claim over Bajo de Masinloc, insisting it has jurisdiction over the shoal.
The Philippines has also increased its presence and activities in the West Philippine Sea after acquiring new Navy and Coast Guard vessels since 2018. It also conducted numerous maritime cooperative activities, or joint naval drills, with the US, Australia, Canada, France, India, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. All these activities were to assert the Philippines sovereignty and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines has legal rights over its maritime zones and it is fully recognized by the international community. China’s claims is not. It should lose its face and abandon quickly its claims if it wants to regain the respect of the community of nations.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of this publication.
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