FOLLOWING President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s concern about the presence of the Chinese Navy in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and its electronic communications interference or jamming of Philippine ships, international law expert Atty. Harry Roque said that the presence of Chinese navy ships in the contested waters should no longer be surprising, especially since the Philippines agreed to joint patrols with the United States.
According to Roque, it’s natural for China to use navy ships when the U.S. is also using their gray ships.
“While we agree to joint patrols using U.S. gray ships, there’s no need to be alarmed if China is using their navy ships,” said Atty. Harry Roque, International Law Expert.
“Why should we be alarmed now when we’re doing the same? Although we have fewer navy boats, we allow the U.S. Navy boats to do what China’s boats are doing,” he added.
Roque pointed out that the proxy war between the U.S., China, and the Philippines serves as a stepping stone for U.S. interests in China.
He suggests continuing friendly relations with China if we want to avoid conflict over territory in the WPS.
“While we escalate the situation, it will intensify. We can’t expect the fire to cool down if we keep fueling it. If we don’t want it to worsen, pour water on it, and don’t amplify the blaze,” said Roque.
President Marcos reiterated his commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty in the WPS during his speech in Australia, stating that he won’t allow foreigners to take any part of the country’s territory.
