Wang Wengbin, spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has repeated a wrong claim that Ren’ai Reef (known as Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines) is part of China.
Ayungin Shoal is part of the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to the July 12, 2016 arbitral ruling against China. (Read VERA FILES FACT CHECK: China’s foreign ministry spokesman falsely claims Ayungin Shoal is part of China)
STATEMENT
On July 5, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that three Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships and six Chinese maritime militia vessels “followed, harassed, and obstructed” its two ships (BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo) from entering the Ayungin Shoal last June 30. The PCG ships were escorting two boats of the Philippine Navy for a resupply mission for soldiers stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of PCG on West Philippine Sea issues, said two of the three CCG ships made “dangerous maneuvers” when they tried to come close around 100 yards (300 feet) from the smaller PCG vessels. The PCG vessels needed to decrease speed to avoid collision and to respond to radio challenges of the CCG, according to Tarriela.
The PCG added that it is “deeply concerned” about the presence of two vessels of China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy during the incident.
Asked about the June 30 incident during a July 6 press conference in Beijing, Wang responded:
“The Ren’ai Reef is part of China’s Nansha Islands. On June 30, the Philippine Coast Guard vessels intruded into the waters off the Ren’ai Reef without Chinese permission. In accordance with the law, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out law enforcement activities to uphold China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime order. The Chinese side’s maneuvers were professional and restrained.”
Source: China Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 6, 2023, July 6, 2023
FACT
Ayungin Shoal, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal, is part of the EEZ and continental shelf of the Philippines, based on the country’s 2016 arbitral win against China.
The Philippines considers the arbitral decision as a reaffirmation of its territorial claims, but China continues to reject it. The award covers only sovereign rights based on the definition of the features in the area, not the issue of sovereignty or territory.
The tribunal clarified that “there is no entitlement to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf generated by any feature claimed by China that would overlap the entitlements of the Philippines in the area of Mischief Reef and Second Thomas Shoal.”
It also ruled that Ayungin Shoal is only a low-tide elevation – a naturally formed area of land surrounded by and above water on low tide but submerged during high tide – in the South China Sea that does not generate entitlements to a territorial sea, EEZ or continental shelf.
BACKSTORY
China’s coast guard has been involved in a number of incidents of harassing and blocking PCG ships during maritime patrols or resupply missions in Ayungin Shoal.
Last April 23, two CCG vessels with bow numbers 5201 and 4202 that intercepted the BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo while patrolling near Ayungin Shoal. The CCG vessel 5201 was also involved in the attempted blocking of BRP Malapascua and BRP Malabrigo during the June 30 resupply mission, and the shadowing of BRP Malapascua while patrolling Ayungin Shoal in March.
In February, the PCG reported that some crew members of BRP Malapascua suffered from temporary blindness after another CCG vessel flashed a military-grade laser light while they were supporting a rotation and resupply mission of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin Shoal.
Despite its dilapidated condition, the 100-meter long BRP Sierra Madre continues to serve as a permanent outpost of the military. It was deliberately grounded by the Philippine Navy in 1999 in Ayungin Shoal in response to China’s illegal occupation of the Mischief Reef (Panganiban Reef) in 1995.
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Sources
Permanent Court of Arbitration official website, Decision on the Philippines v. China regarding the South China Sea, July 12, 2016
Philippine Coast Guard official Facebook page, On the June 30 incident between Chinese Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard vessels, July 5, 2023
PTV official YouTube channel, Panayam kay PCG Spokeperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, July 5, 2023
China Ministry of Foreign Affairs official website, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on July 6, 2023, July 6, 2023
Supreme Court of the Philippines official website, G.R. No. 212426, Jan. 12, 2016
Philippine Coast Guard official Facebook page, On the April 23 incident between Chinese Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard vessels, April 28, 2023
Philippine Coast Guard official Facebook page, On the March incident between Chinese Coast Guard and Philippine Coast Guard vessels, March 30, 2023
Philippine Coast Guard official Facebook page, On the Feb. 6 military-grade laser pointing incident in Ayungin Shoal, Feb. 13, 2023
(Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.)
