ManilaTimes-June 1, 2022
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday filed a diplomatic protest against China‘s unilateral imposition of a moratorium on fishing in the South China Sea(SCS) or the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The DFA noted that China’s fishing ban started on May 1 and is expected to last until August 16. In a diplomatic note dated May 30, 2022, the DFA said Manila “conveyed its protest to the moratorium, which covers areas in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) over which the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction. “It added that paragraph 716 of the final and binding Award on the South China Sea Arbitration rendered on July 12, 2016, states that China, by promulgating its moratorium on fishing in the SCS “without exception for areas of the South China Sea falling within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and without limiting the moratorium to Chinese-flagged vessels, breached Article 56 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) with respect to the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the living resources of its exclusive economic zone.” The DFA reiterated its continuing protest of China’s “annual practice of declaring a fishing ban over areas that extend far beyond China’s legitimate maritime entitlements under the 1982 Unclos.” Manila also asked Beijing to “cease and desist from the conduct of illegal actions that violate the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its maritime zones; and adhere to its commitments under the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, in the SCS. Read more at: https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/06/01/news/national/ph-protests-chinas-fishing-ban-in-scs/1845651
