China has come forward with a claim of having an unwritten "temporary special arrangement" between itself and the Philippines, made as far back as 2016.
In the alleged agreement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and other government vessels are not allowed within the 12 nautical mile or 22 kilometer territorial limit.
"Filipino fishermen can fish with small fishing boats in designated waters except the lagoon of Huangyan Dao [Panatag Shoal], while the AFP, PCG, and other Philippine government vessels and aircraft should refrain from entering the 12 nautical miles and corresponding air space of Huangyan Dao [Panatag Shoal],” said the Chinese embassy on Thursday.
China explained that the Philippines had complied with this arrangement for several years, until the current administration under President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos "disrupted" it.
China also accused the administration of forcing its fishermen into the frontline of maritime disputes to promote its political agenda, in response to the April 30 water cannon attacks on PCG's and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' (BFAR) vessels, which were carrying supplies for fishermen.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela rejected the claim, saying it was "fabricated".
"We have no temporary special arrangements whatsoever," he told Inquirer.
President Marcos and former President Rodrigo Duterte have denied agreeing to any such thing that essentially entails reliquishing Philippine sovereign rights to China. Under the 1987 constitution, doing so would be grounds for impeachment.
“The Chinese are insisting that there is a secret agreement and, perhaps, there is, and, I said I don’t know anything about the secret agreement. Should there be such a secret agreement, I am now rescinding it," Marcos stated last month.
Marcos was convinced by China's insistence that his predecessor must have struck a "secret" deal with China.
Although Duterte wanted to strengthen ties with China, he said that he and China's President Xi Jinping only agreed to keep "the status quo".
"There would be no contact, no movement, no armed patrols there, as is where is, so there won’t be any confrontation,” Duterte said.
China demands that the Philippines "stop its provocation and infringement immediately."
