MANILA, Philippines- Nanawagan ang Tsina sa Estados Unidos na tigilan na ang pakikialam at pagsawsaw sa usapin ng South China Sea.
Ang katwiran ng Tsina, mayroon itong solido, makasaysayan at naaayon sa batas na pag-angkin sa pinagtatalunang katubigan.
Inihayag ito Chinese Embassy sa Maynila matapos na bansagan ni US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, bilang pagsuporta sa Pilipinas, ang nine-dash line ng Tsina bilang isang “cartoon” at ang maritime claims ng Tsina ay “not a factual representation of international maritime laws.”
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ng Embahada na ang Tsina ang unang nakatuklas, nagbigay ng pangalan, nag-explore at nag-exploit ng Nanhai Zhudao at kaugnay na katubigan.
Binanggit din ng Embahada na ang Tsina ang unang nagpapatuloy, mapayapa at epektibong ipinatutupad ang soberanya at hurisdiksyon doon, sa gayon, makapagtatatag ng “territorial sovereignty at relevant rights at interest” sa South China Sea.
“China’s sovereignty and rights and interests in the South China Sea have been established in the long course of history, and are solidly grounded in history and the law,” ayon sa Embahada.
Matapos ang World War II, sinabi ng Embahada na ang “China recovered and resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, which Japan had supposedly illegally occupied during its war of aggression against China.”
“To strengthen the administration over Nanhai Zhudao, the Chinese government officially published Nan Hai Zhu Dao Wei Zhi Tu (Location Map of the South China Sea Islands) on which the dotted line is marked as early as February 1948,” sinabi pa ng Embahada.
Tinuran pa ng Chinese Embassy sa Maynila, nagawa ring kilalanin ng Estados Unidos ang soberanya ng Tsina sa Nanhai Zhudao kasunod ng pagpapalabas ng Cairo Declaration at paglagda sa Potsdam Proclamation sa panahon ng World War II.
“After the War, it was onboard the US-provided warships that Chinese troops formally recovered Nanhai Zhudao,” ang winika ng Embahada.
“In the 1950s again, it was with the approval of the Chinese authorities in Taiwan to whom multiple preceding US requests had been made that American survey ships were allowed to operate in the South China Sea,” sinabi pa nito.
Dahil dito, binatikos ng Chinese Embassy sa Maynila ang hayagang pagkwestiyon ng Estados Unidos sa pag-angkin ng Tsina sa South China Sea sa pamamagitan ng “falsely labeling” sa nine-dash line bilang isang fabricated “cartoon” dahil sa geopolitical interests nito.
Sinabi pa rin nito na “consistent” ang Estados Unidos sa pagiging “discretionary” pagdating sa aplikasyon ng international law.
“We can’t help but ask: if the US is as committed to international law as it claims to be, why not start with upholding the post-WWII international order underpinned by the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation?” giit ng Embahada.
“Why has it yet to join the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while citing the UNCLOS to restrain others and let itself off the hook?” anito pa.
Kaya nga, inihayag ng Embahada na ang Estados Unidos ay dapat lamang na huminto na sa paggawa ng away o alitan sa pagitan ng mga bansang inaangkin din ang South China Sea.
“The US is not a party to the dispute of the South China Sea and is in no position to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. We urge the US to stop sowing discord and inciting confrontation, respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” ayon sa Embahada.
“Stop all words and actions that are not conducive to regional peace and stability, and refrain from being a troublemaker to peace and stability in the South China Sea,” dagdag na pahayag nito. Kris Jose
