The National Maritime Council (NMC) has firmly dismissed statements from Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan regarding Philippine operations at Ayungin Shoal, clarifying that a 2024 bilateral agreement does not give Beijing authority over activities within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The NMC’s clarification came after Jing accused Manila of breaching the July 2024 provisional arrangement by conducting construction-related activities on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.
“The National Maritime Council firmly rejects statements by the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China regarding the Philippines’ lawful activities in Ayungin Shoal and the Provisional Understanding for Rotation and Resupply to BRP Sierra Madre,” the NMC said.
The council clarified that the provisional arrangement was created strictly to ensure safe rotation and resupply (RORE) missions for personnel on the BRP Sierra Madre and to prevent confrontation.
“It is not an instrument that grants any country the authority to approve, regulate, inspect or restrict Philippine activities at Ayungin Shoal,” it said.
Citing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, the council emphasized that Ayungin Shoal is a low-tide elevation within the Philippines’ EEZ and continental shelf.
“There is no requirement for the Philippines to seek permission before undertaking lawful activities in its own EEZ under international law,” the NMC said.
“There is likewise no agreement nor arrangement that has altered or diminished the sovereign rights that the Philippines exercises over Ayungin Shoal.”
The council also strongly rejected Beijing’s attempt to use the agreement to justify recent coercive actions in the area.
“Equally unacceptable is any attempt to invoke the Provisional Understanding or blame the Philippines’ lawful activities in Ayungin Shoal to justify coercive or violent actions against Philippine personnel,” it said.
“Confidence-building measures exist to prevent incidents — not to rationalize actions that increase tensions or endanger lives.”
The statement aligns with earlier remarks from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which stressed that the 2024 agreement serves only as a framework to manage resupply missions without recognizing any Chinese authority over Philippine waters.
This diplomatic friction follows a recent clash near the BRP Sierra Madre, where Chinese Coast Guard personnel allegedly attacked Philippine Navy troops with wooden batons, injuring two sailors. The incident prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to summon Ambassador Jing to Malacañang, condemning China’s actions as “illegal, aggressive and barbaric.”
The NMC called on Beijing to stop using rhetoric and aggressive tactics that undermine regional stability, reiterating Manila’s commitment to defending its sovereignty under international law.