The Philippines has criticized China for using rhetoric and wordplay to deflect from its continued defiance of international law in the South China Sea dispute. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in a statement on March 10, rejected Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s claim that Manila’s actions in the contested waters are merely part of a “shadow play” directed by foreign powers.

“No wordplay can mask the truth”

China’s “creative analogy” and “play of words” won’t mask the real issue in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), which is Beijing’s continuous refusal to abide by international law, according to the DFA.

The agency asserted that the Philippines is an independent nation, making decisions based solely on its national interests and the well-being of its people.

“The Philippines disagrees with the recent remarks of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterizing the developments and incidents in the South China Sea as mere theatre staged under the direction of other countries,” the DFA said.

The response came after Wang, in a March 7 press conference, accused the Philippines of operating under the influence of external forces.

“For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is live-streamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China. People are not interested in watching the same performance again and again,” Wang was quoted as saying by China’s foreign ministry.

He also warned that “infringement and provocation will backfire” and that those acting as “others’ chess pieces are bound to be discarded”.

DFA says China must abide by international law

The DFA dismissed these claims, stressing that China’s violations of international law, not foreign influence, are at the heart of the dispute. It reiterated that Beijing must respect the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated its sweeping nine-dash line claim.

“No creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China’s refusal to abide by international law,” the DFA said.

The agency also highlighted the real-world consequences of China’s actions, pointing to their impact on Filipino communities in the West Philippine Sea.

“We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,” the DFA added.

Despite the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejecting China’s broad claims over the South China Sea, Beijing continues to assert control over large portions of the critical waterway, including areas within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

“No squid tactics can conceal China’s actions”

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada also dismissed Wang’s claims, saying China’s repeated use of “squid tactics” cannot obscure its escalating activities in Philippine waters.

“No amount of squid tactics can conceal the fact that China has been, and continues to be, engaged in a pattern of illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive behavior at sea — and, most recently, even in the airspace of the Philippines,” Estrada said.

He warned that Beijing’s growing hostility poses a direct threat to Philippine maritime scientists and personnel operating in the West Philippine Sea.

Estrada called Wang’s remarks a blatant attempt to distract from China’s illegal incursions and provocations. He also urged the international community to reject Beijing’s “baseless assertions” and support the Philippines in defending regional peace, stability, and the rule of law.

Allies ready to respond to Chinese aggression

As tensions persist, Manila continues to assert its sovereign rights through routine patrols, despite China’s increasing presence and aggressive maneuvers.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr recently told the Associated Press that Philippine allies are prepared to take action if China attempts to restrict freedom of flight in the region.

Describing Beijing’s aggression as “the greatest external threat” to Philippine national security, Teodoro said Manila and its partners have already formulated contingency measures to counter any hostile moves by China.

“The Philippines will take a combination of measures singularly and with like-minded nations to counteract” such maneuvers, he said.

With China’s continued defiance of international law, the Philippines remains resolute in defending its sovereignty, calling on the global community to hold Beijing accountable for its actions in the West Philippine Sea.

Photo credit: Jinggoy Estrada Facebook. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada.