Philippines Summons Chinese Envoy over 'Illegal' Sulu Sea 'Intrusion'

The Philippine Foreign Ministry summoned China’s ambassador to Manila on Monday over the “illegal intrusion and lingering presence” of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel in Philippine waters near the Sulu Sea over a three-day period from January 29 through February 1.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a press release on March 14 explaining its decision to summon Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian over the incident. The statement read:

From 29 January to 01 February 2022, a PLAN Electronic Reconnaissance Ship (Dongdiao-class) with bow number 792 entered Philippine waters without permission, reaching the waters of Palawan’s Cuyo Group of Islands and Apo Island in Mindoro.

The Philippine Navy vessel BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) challenged PLAN 792, which alleged that it was exercising innocent passage. Its movements, however did not follow a track that can be considered as continuous and expeditious, lingering in the Sulu Sea for three days. PLAN 792 also continued its activities in Philippine waters despite being repeatedly directed by the BRP Antonio Luna to leave Philippine waters immediately.

“[T]he actions of PLAN 792 did not constitute innocent passage and violated Philippine sovereignty,” the Philippine Foreign Ministry affirmed.

DFA Acting Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro conveyed to Ambassador Huang Manila’s expectation that China “respect Philippine territory and maritime jurisdiction” during Huang’s summoning on March 14. Lazaro further “demanded” Beijing “comply with its obligations under international law, particularly UNCLOS, and direct its vessels to desist from entering Philippine waters uninvited and without permission.”

“UNCLOS” refers to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Philippine government filed a case against China’s government in the International Court of Arbitration in 2016 to dispute Beijing’s claims to nearly all of the South China Sea. The arbitral tribunal, which was established under UNCLOS, ruled in favor of Manila and declared Beijing’s claim to nearly 90 percent of the South China Sea illegal. China’s government largely ignored the landmark 2016 ruling and has continued to encroach upon other nations’ territories within the strategic body of water in recent years.

The South China Sea is separated from the Sulu Sea by the Philippines’ Palawan island. Both the Philippines and Malaysia are considered basin countries of the Sulu Sea, which spans an area separating the southwestern Philippines from Malaysian Borneo.

“Nearly five years ago, bilateral relations were more positive as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hinted at a possible training exercise with China in the Sulu Sea,” Benar News recalled on March 14. “Duterte made the statement during a May 1, 2017, port call by Chinese warship Changchun in his hometown of Davao, PLAN’s first such visit in seven years.”

Benar news is affiliated with the U.S. government-funded broadcaster Radio Free Asia.