BBC News Top Stories-World South China Sea Philippines Marcos defends removing Chinese barrier
September 29, 2023 2 min 380 words
这则报道涉及到菲律宾总统费迪南德·马科斯（Ferdinand Marcos Jr）对南中国海中中国设立的浮标进行清除的事件。这一行动引发了中国方面的抗议，加剧了对斯卡伯勒浅滩的争议。总统马科斯坚决支持这一举措，坚称该区域明显属于菲律宾领土，并强调他们不寻求冲突。 南中国海的斯卡伯勒浅滩是菲律宾和中国均宣称拥有主权的一处暗礁。自2012年一次海军对峙结束以来，中国海岸警卫队一直在该地区保持稳定的存在，并且与菲律宾渔船的接触一直是两国之间不断摩擦的源头。 报告中提到，中国方称菲律宾渔船“非法”进入该浅滩，并在此后回收浮标。而菲律宾方则称他们的海岸警卫队成员在一次“特殊行动”中于周三将浮标清除。马科斯总统声称，清除浮标让菲律宾渔民一天内捕获了164吨的鱼。 值得注意的是，美国在此次事件中表达了对菲律宾的支持，认为这是保卫自主权的“大胆举措”。这与菲律宾今年加强与华盛顿关系的背景相呼应。美国国防部南亚和东南亚副助理国务卿林赛·福特（Lindsey Ford）在国会听证会上对菲律宾的行动表示赞赏，并重申了美国对亚洲盟友的安全承诺。 这一报道反映出南中国海争端仍然紧张，各国在维护领土和资源权益方面持续发表强硬立场。国际社会需要密切关注这一局势，以防止潜在的冲突升级。
Watch: The moment Philippines Coast Guard cuts floating barrier
The Philippines has stood by its removal of China's barriers in the South China Sea and said it will continue defending its territory.
Beijing has protested the removal of the buoys, heightening a long-running dispute over the Scarborough Shoal.
"They just can't put barriers in an area that is clearly inside the Philippines," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said.
Mr Marcos said the Philippines is "not looking for trouble".
The Scarborough Shoal is one of several reefs and outcrops in the South China Sea that are claimed by both the Philippines and China.
China's coast guard has maintained a steady presence in the area since the end of a naval standoff in 2012 and its encounters with Filipino fishing vessels have been a constant source of friction with the Philippines.
A Chinese foreign ministry official said it had laid down the line of buoys after a Philippine vessel "illegally" entered the shoal, and said it had retrieved the line on Saturday.
However Manila said its Coast Guard members removed it on Wednesday in a "special operation". Vision shows members diving into the water and cutting the line of buoys underwater.
Mr Marcos said the removal of the buoys allowed Filipino fishermen to catch 164 tonnes of fish in a single day.
On Friday, at a press conference, Philippines Coast Guard members showed reporters the anchor which they said Chinese boats had used to keep the line barrier in place.
They said surveillance trips showed two Chinese ships remained in the area.
"We are not looking for trouble. We will do what is necessary. We will continue defending the Philippines, the maritime territory of the Philippines, the rights of our fishermen in waters where they have fished for centuries," Mr Marcos said.
"We are staying away from fiery words, but our resolve to defend Philippine territory is strong," he said.
On Thursday, Washington - with whom Manila has strengthened links this year - also expressed praise for the action which it said was a "bold step in defending their own sovereignty".
During a congressional hearing, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Lindsey Ford commended the Philippines' action and reaffirmed Washington's security commitments to its Asian ally.