1 week Ago By Bea Cupin
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-1" );MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines announced late on Sunday, April 27 that it had undertaken an “Inter-Agency Maritime Operation” on the three cays close to Pag-asa or Thitu Island in the West Philippine Sea.“This coordinated effort involved the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police – Maritime Group, reinforcing Philippine authorities’ routine and lawful exercise of maritime domain awareness and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea,” said the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) in a statement.
Earlier, China state broadcaster CCTV claimed the China Coast Guard had “implemented maritime control and exercised sovereign jurisdiction” in early April. The state-run CCTV also posted photos of its coast guard holding the Chinese flag on what seems to be one of the cays.The Philippines deployed four mixed teams composed of its various maritime units — the civilian Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police Maritime Group, as well as the Philippine Navy.
Two teams were deployed to Cay-1 while one team each reached Cays 2 and 3, said the NTF-WPS.The Philippine task force said the Philippine teams “observed the illegal presence of China Coast Guard 5102, approximately 1,000 yards east of Cay-2 as well as seven (7) Chinese Maritime Militia vessels near Cay-2 and Cay-3.”“The NTF-WPS underscores that this operation reflects the unwavering dedication and commitment of the Philippine Government to uphold the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” said the NTF-WPS.
Pag-asa island is the farthest island territory of the Philippines and is located beyond the country’s exclusive economic zone or more than 200 nautical miles away from its baseline.A permanent civilian population lives in Pag-asa, the Filipino word for hope.Tensions between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea have escalated in recent years, especially as Manila has become more assertive in defending its rights and claims in the West Philippine Sea.
The cays close to Pag-asa have become occasional flashpoints of these tensions, especially whenever Filipino missions — including those undertaken by civilian scientists — are met with harassment from the Chinese. – Rappler.com.
