MANILA: The Department of National Defence (DND) said yesterday that it is ready to enforce the country’s maritime laws in the wake of reports that China is imposing fishing regulations in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
“The defence establishment is ready to assist in enforcing the maritime rules in the Philippine EEZ (exclusive economic zone),” DND spokesman Peter Galvez said.
“We will enforce [measures to protect] our resources,” he added.
Galvez was asked to comment on reports that China is now requiring foreign fishermen to seek its permission to operate in the West Philippine Sea, the subject of a territorial row in the region.
The policy reportedly took effect last month and covered two million hectares of the area, which is rich in oil and maritime resources.
The Philippine government, however, is still validating the reports about the new fishing regulation.
“We will have to verify statements regarding this alleged fishing rules by China,” Galvez said.
The defence official, nevertheless, stressed that all countries “are free to enforce fishing rules within their own EEZ.”
Reports about the fishing regulation came two months after China imposed an air defence zone above waters separating China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
The policy which required all aircraft to identify themselves and to report their flight plans to the Chinese government while flying through the zone.
The zone, which spans 1,000 kilometres from north to south, drew flak from several countries who view it as an infringement on the freedom of flight in international airspace.
China is claiming almost the entire West Philippine Sea through its so-called nine-dash line, which covers more than 100 islets, atolls and reefs. China’s claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam.
Last January, the Philippines challenged China’s territorial claim before an international tribunal of the United Nations.
The Philippine star
