Think tank urges PH to stand firm on Bajo de Masinloc rights amid China's aggression

A Philippine think tank, Stratbase ADR Institute, urges the government to remain resolute in asserting the country's sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc amidst recent aggressive actions by China.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año stated that no amount of aggressive action from China in Bajo de Masinloc will deter the Philippines from asserting its rights in the vital waterway.

Año acknowledged that China is intensifying its actions and using force to intimidate, but emphasized that the Philippines remains undeterred.

Stratbase ADR Institute condemned China's actions as illegal and aggressive within Bajo de Masinloc, a territory recognized by the 2016 Arbitral Award.

The institute's president, Victor Andres Manhit, called on the administration to firmly uphold sovereign rights and ensure the safety of Filipino fisherfolk, military, and Coast Guard personnel.

Most noteworthy of China's aggressive actions include a collision between Chinese vessels and the BRP Suluan on August 11, and the interception of a Philippine Coast Guard patrol aircraft by a Chinese J-15 fighter jet.

Manhit stated that China's defiance of legal instruments is an insult to the international system and weakens principles of maritime peace and stability.

The incident highlights the critical need to defend international law and the rules-based order against violations, with the institute emphasizing the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Arbitral Award.