A total of 153 out of the 211 notes verbales since 2016 were filed against China within this year alone due to the relentless incursions in the Philippine waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) disclosed on Thursday, October 21.
According to DFA Assistant Secretary Eduardo Meñez, “There have been 211 notes verbales issued since 2016, majority (of) which (153) were filed in 2021.”
The latest protest was issued on September 30, which included the incidents that occurred in August when the Philippine military’s Western Command patrolling in the West Philippine Sea was issued warnings by the Chinese.
“Yes, the incidents in August are covered, but these types of warnings are SOP (standard operating procedure) by the Chinese just as our Coast Guards also issue warnings,” clarified Meñez.
The agency disclosed this information following a post on Twitter expressing its protests against China’s “unlawful issuance” of over 200 radio challenges and the other “provocative acts” by Chinese state vessels against Filipino authorities patrolling over and around its maritime territory zones.
“These provocative acts threaten the peace, good order, and security of the South China Sea and run contrary to China’s obligation under international law,” the agency said in a tweet.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, invalidating Beijing’s nine-dash line claim, which China has repeatedly refused to recognize.
