China confirms allowing Philippine fishermen access to shoal

Chinese Coast Guard members approach Filipino fishermen as they confront them off Scarborough Shoal at South China Sea, also called the West Philippine

China’s Foreign Ministry yesterday confirmed a decision to allow Philippine fishermen access to a disputed shoal following a visit to Beijing by the Philippine president.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing made “proper arrangements” regarding Scarborough Shoal after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern about the matter.
China seized the shoal, located 228 kilometers (123 nautical miles) from the northern Philippines, following a 2012 standoff between the sides, preventing Filipino fishermen from working in the area. Chinese coast guard ships sometimes used water cannons to drive off Filipino fishermen while protecting Chinese boats.
However, fishermen said over the weekend that the Chinese coast guard had allowed them to again fish in the area following Duterte’s recent visit, which officials say resulted in a major improvement in bilateral ties.
The visit marked a “comprehensive improvement of China-Philippines relations. Given the circumstance, regarding the issue President Duterte was highly concerned about, China made proper arrangements on the issue based on the friendship between China and the Philippines,” Hua told reporters at a daily briefing.
Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said a navy plane spotted at least four Chinese coast guard ships around the shoal during a surveillance flight on Saturday.
The fishermen’s return to Scarborough was “a most welcome development” because it brings back their key source of making a living, Lorenzana said Sunday.
No written agreements guaranteeing continued access have been issued, and Hua made it clear that China would continue to exercise administration over the area as Chinese territory.
Farther south, in the Spratly Islands, China has in recent years constructed islands by piling sand and concrete atop coral reefs, despite protests from other claimants and the U.S.
Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. and Vietnam share a commitment to the rule of law in the South China Sea.
Kerry was speaking ahead of talks with a top official in Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, Executive Secretary Dinh The Huynh.
The meeting came five months after President Barack Obama visited Vietnam and lifted restrictions on arms sales to the former U.S. enemy. It also takes place as longstanding U.S. ally in Southeast Asia, the Philippines, is strengthening ties with China.
President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that he will not conduct drills with Americans in his presidency, while proposing joint military exercises with Japan during his recent visit to Tokyo.
Duterte made the proposal during a visit to a coast guard unit to observe an exercise from one of the patrol vessels Japan pledged to provide the Philippines to upgrade Manila’s maritime security capabilities, largely in response to China’s strong assertions of its South China Sea maritime claims.
A statement released by the Philippine presidential palace said Duterte told reporters that he discussed a possibility of the joint exercises “in general terms” when he held talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week. Duterte also reminded reporters that allowing the American military to stay in his country would be “difficult” and that he planned to review the military cooperation agreement and ask them “one of these days” to leave the country.
He did not elaborate on his comment on joint exercises with Japan, which could have mixed implications because Japan also has tensions with China over East China Sea islands, history and other issues. MDT/AP Seanorthwestern Philippines