Manila Protests ‘Provocative Acts’ By Beijing In South China Sea

 

The diplomatic protest to China has been issued by the Philippines ’ government to protest over Chinese ships that patrolling in the territorial waters of the Philippines which are in the South China Sea. As we know, Beijing has claimed most of the South China Sea with its Nine-Dash Line claim.

 

Since Duterte came to power in 2016, the Philippine government has sent 80 diplomatic protests to the Chinese government. Tensions between Manila and Beijing have escalated in recent years over territorial claims in the South China Sea region. The Nine-Dash Line claim made by the Chinese government overlaps with the territorial claims of ASEAN countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, to a small part of Indonesia’s sea area.

 

How China does not defend its claims, an estimated US$3.37 trillion of world trade passes through the region annually. The Nine-Dash Line itself was created by the Beijing government based on being a shipping and fishing area for Chinese fishermen in the past. Beijing’s claim violates UN regulations contained in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

 

As a result, countries affected by these claims began to sue the Beijing government that the Nine-Dash Line claims were unfounded. The United States is no exception, which is furious with China’s arbitrary claims. The United States has even now shown its military strength in the region, followed by an arms race for ASEAN countries whose territories are threatened by Beijing’s claim.