00:00 Let's discuss the latest incidents of China Coast Guard harassment against Philippine ships.
00:05 We have with us this afternoon, International Studies Professor Renato De Castro.
00:11 Good morning and welcome to the news this afternoon, Professor.
00:14 Good morning, Raffy. Good morning, Sandra. How are you?
00:18 I'm okay, Professor. Why does China seem to be more aggressive in their actions against the West Philippine Sea?
00:24 Last time I went to Bajo de Bacinloc, they didn't do anything. They just shadowed.
00:30 But now, they are bombing Philippine ships.
00:32 Well, I will use the term used by the National Defense Secretary, Givocchio Doro, regarding this incident.
00:41 China is now showing us its "conquest".
00:45 The English translation of "conquest" is of course "conquest".
00:50 The term I use is "maritime expansion".
00:53 It really looks like us.
00:55 Last September, of course, we remember when the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources issued a map.
01:02 From nine dashed lines, they made ten dashed lines.
01:06 They are telling us that this is ours and we will let you leave.
01:11 You will not be able to enter until you ask for our permission.
01:15 So we're facing a reality that China is imposing upon us.
01:19 That is of course, China wants to control 90% of the South China Sea,
01:25 including 85% of our exclusive economic zones in the West Philippine Sea.
01:30 So is it effective what the Philippines and its allies are doing now, patrolling, joint patrol support?
01:37 Yes. If we allow China, we will not have diplomatic protest, we will not have joint maritime cooperative activities,
01:46 we will not have resupply. We are allowing China.
01:49 We are giving China the golden opportunity to win without actually fighting.
01:54 So every move, even the diplomatic protest, we will not ignore it.
01:58 Because it indicates that we are not accepting what China is imposing on us, even the arbitral ruling.
02:05 Of course, the arbitral ruling that we passed in 2016 and of course we won in 2016,
02:11 deprived China of its legitimacy, even on the basis of international law,
02:16 even on the basis of what China said, a historic claim. That's not true.
02:20 So it's just doing it on the basis of what might makes right.
02:25 So this is a long term. So let's not be intimidated.
02:29 Our president issued a strong statement and the last sentence of his statement on Facebook,
02:36 "We should not be deterred."
02:38 Professor, serious engine damage to the ML Kalayaan, the Chinese water cannon attack,
02:46 how can the Philippines respond to China here?
02:49 We cannot respond. What we should do is to make a bug cove that will not be easily destroyed or damaged.
02:57 So we have to adjust to China's tactics. This is a long game.
03:01 So if China promises that, it means that what they did was wrong.
03:08 They should show us that what they are doing is right.
03:10 Just like what they did when they rejected the resolution issued by our Congress.
03:15 The Chinese foreign minister spoke very arrogantly.
03:20 Recently, the article issued by the Global Times, they are belittling us.
03:26 They are saying that we can do this anyway. The Philippines has no strength to challenge us.
03:31 We can beat them.
03:33 So we should wait for the next actions of China here in the West Philippines. Thank you very much.
03:37 We should look at the actions that we will take.
03:39 Thank you, Professor Renato Di Castro.
03:42 Our starting point is the last sentence of our president, "We should not be deterred."
03:49 Thank you. Thank you very much for your expertise.
03:51 Thank you very much.
03:54 [News Anchor]
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