The Philippine government called out China anew on Monday, Jan. 22, after its coast guard's apparent harassment of Filipino fishermen off Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) in Zambales despite an agreement by both parties to lower the tension in the South China Sea.
00:00 We were hoping that 2024, the West Philippine Sea will be more peaceful.
00:06 But in the recent events, where there was a robbery or harassment of our fishermen by the Chinese Coast Guard,
00:17 we are now in charge of this and we condemn this latest provocative action on the part of the Chinese Coast Guard against our fishermen.
00:26 Most of them have already gone home and we are thankful for the video.
00:33 Because if it wasn't for that video, we wouldn't have seen, the people of the country wouldn't have seen the events there.
00:41 They were stopped, the Chinese Coast Guard released inflatable boats, and their shells.
00:51 Were they returned to the sea?
00:53 It's not clear if they were returned, but the CCG said that they need to return those shells.
01:02 It would have been better if it was at the beginning of the year, because our missions were organized in other features that our country is handling.
01:12 And there was a bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines and China.
01:19 This was last week.
01:23 And here, there was a dialogue between the two sides,
01:28 that there will be a deeper consultation and to lower the tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
01:34 So maybe, what we are talking about in China, now in 2024, and they are the Chinese New Year,
01:39 I hope they will take action on the ground, on the ground, our talks between the Philippine government and the Chinese government.
01:50 They will take action on this and I hope moving forward, the talks will be implemented.
01:57 Because it is not in the interest of the Philippines nor with China to raise tensions now in 2024.
