The governments of the Philippines and China held “open” talks over the Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal) in disputed waters of the South China Sea, according to local media, while Manila continues to insist that it is part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
At the 10th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea held in Beijing on September 11, Philippines Deputy Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma Theresa Lazaro said her country has jurisdiction over the sea, while Beijing is demanding Manila to vacate the area.
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“Lazaro reaffirmed the Philippines' consistent position and explored ways to ease tensions in the region,” Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Ms Teresita Daza said, according to the Philippine News Agency.
“I reaffirmed the Philippines' consistent position on exploring ways to de-escalate tensions in the region and reduce tensions. We agreed to continue discussions on areas of cooperation, particularly the hotline mechanism, coast guard cooperation, and maritime scientific and technological cooperation,” Ms Theresa Lazaro said in a post on X.
China was represented at the meeting by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong and he reiterated its principled position on Xianbin Jiao (the Chinese name for Sabina Shoal) and urged the Philippines to immediately recall the relevant ships, the Global Times reported.
According to Chinese news outlets, Beijing said that “China will firmly safeguard its sovereignty and uphold the seriousness and effectiveness of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”
Escoda or Sabina Shoal is in the Spratly Islands, which are claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
On August 31, Manila and Beijing accused each other of deliberately ramming their coast guard vessels near Sabina Shoal.
The dispute centres around the strategic and resource-rich waters of the South China Sea, which are claimed in part or in full by several countries, including China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Tensions have escalated recently between the Philippines and Beijing, with the conflict centering around conflicting territorial claims. China claims dominance over almost the entire sea based on its “nine-dash line,” while the Philippines relies on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to justify its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).