China has revealed an alleged 2016 agreement with the Philippines regarding access to South China Sea islands, marking the first public disclosure of the purported deal. This move has the potential to escalate tensions in the region, which is a crucial passage for global trade and is claimed nearly entirely by China.
According to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Manila, the agreement, described as a “temporary special arrangement,” permitted small-scale fishing around the islands but restricted military, coast guard, and official aircraft and vessels from entering the territorial waters within a 12 nautical mile limit. The statement accused the Philippines of violating the agreement in pursuit of its own political interests, leading to ongoing disputes at sea between the two countries.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte denied any agreements surrendering Philippine sovereignty to China, there were hints of a deal made during Duterte’s visit to Beijing. The wording of the statement from Beijing suggests a lack of official documentation supporting their claims, relying mainly on Duterte’s verbal assertions.
President Marcos stated that China insisted on a secret agreement, but he claimed ignorance of any such arrangement. He emphasized that if such an agreement existed, he would revoke it. Duterte, known for his warm relations with China during his presidency, also clarified that he did not compromise Philippine territory despite maintaining the status quo in the disputed waters.
The Philippines, along with other neighboring countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Brunei, assert overlapping claims in the South China Sea, which is abundant in resources. Disputes with China have led to skirmishes, with the United States intervening to uphold freedom of navigation and defend its treaty ally, the Philippines, in case of armed attacks.