تغريدة مثبتة
Defending Our Rights Is Not Provocation
The Stratbase Institute rejects the Chinese Embassy’s attempt to invert reality by portraying the Philippines as the “provoker” in the West Philippine Sea. The facts are consistent and well-documented: it is China’s maritime forces that repeatedly employ coercive and dangerous acts at sea, including water cannons, aggressive maneuvers, and ramming incidents that have damaged Philippine vessels and harmed even Filipino civilians.
The core issue is not “perception” but law. Under UNCLOS, the 2016 Arbitral Award is final and binding on the parties and rejected China’s expansive “historic rights” claims. Respect for international law, not rhetorical accusations, is the only durable foundation for stability.
Calls for “restraint” ring hollow when paired with continued harassment of Philippine ships and fisherfolk whose livelihoods depend on waters international law recognizes within the Philippines’ maritime entitlements. De-escalation begins when coercion ends.
We likewise stress that economic ties cannot be invoked to excuse violations of sovereign rights; Philippine data show a persistent trade imbalance that does not erase accountability. The Philippines maintains strong and mutually beneficial economic partnerships with many countries, and none of these partners assert their interests through intimidation, coercion, or the use of force at sea.
Stratbase supports dialogue and a meaningful Code of Conduct, but any agreement must be anchored in UNCLOS and consistent with the 2016 Award. Proposals that constrain lawful partnerships, exercises, or resource development are not confidence-building measures; they are attempts to curtail the Philippines’ sovereign choices.
Peace will not be secured by silencing the victim, but by ending the wrongdoing and upholding the rule of law.
Prof. Victor Andres C. Manhit
President
Stratbase Institute
English
