MANILA, Philippines- Inihayag ng United States nitong Sabado ang suporta nito sa pagpasa ng Philippines Maritime Zones Act, sinabing malinaw nitong tinutukoy ang territorial sea ng bansa.
Tinintahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang Republic Act 12064 o ang Philippine Maritime Zones Act nitong Biyernes sa pagsisikap na palakasin ang pagmamay-ari at responsibilidad ng bansa sa maritime zones nito.
“The United States supports the Philippines’ enactment of the Maritime Zones Act,” pahayag ni Matthew Miller, US State Department spokesperson.
“The Maritime Zones Act aligns Philippine domestic laws with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling. This law defines the Philippines internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in line with the Convention,” patuloy ng opisyal.
“The United States values Philippine leadership in upholding international law, particularly in the South China Sea, and calls on all states to comport their maritime claims to the international law of the sea as reflected in the Convention,” aniya pa.
Nilagdaan din ni Marcos ang Republic Act 12065, o ang Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, nilalayong magtatag ng tatlong archipelagic sea lanes.
Samantala, ipinatawag naman ng China ang Philippine ambassador upang maghain ng “solemn representations” hinggil sa dalawang bagong batas, at sinabing hinihikayat nito ang bansa “to earnestly respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.
Pinag-aagawan ng Pilipinas at China ang ilang bahagi ng West Philippine Sea.
Ilang ulit namang kinondena ng US ang mga insidente kung saan inatake ng Chinese ship gamit ang water cannons ang Philippine vessel. RNT/SA
