FILE: SEA DISPUTE In this photo taken on Sept. 23, 2015, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel fires its water cannon on Filipino fishermen in a confrontation off Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. A UN court is expected to issue a ruling today on a complaint filed by the Philippines questioning China’s territorial claim over almost all of the sea, including its reefs, shoals and islets. AP
President Rodrigo Duterte is hopeful that China would allow Filipino fishermen to fish in our traditional fishing grounds in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) after his visit to the superpower nation.
“I hope to report to you good news when I shall have visited Japan and China. I’m quite positive [about] China. We will have the Filipinos returning to the traditional fishing grounds,” Duterte said in a speech at the National Banana Congress in Davao City.
The President is expected to visit China from October 19 to 21 and would visit Japan from October 25 to 27.
On July 12, the Philippines won its protest at the United Nation’s International Tribunal against China.
The historic decision said the Philippines has an exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and that China’s “nine-dash line” was invalid.
But despite the landmark ruling, China has rejected to honor the decision.
In September, Filipino fishermen were reportedly harassed by Chinese Coast Guard in Scarborough Shoal.
Early this month, reports said Filipino fishermen were driven away Chinese Coast Guard in Scarborough Shoal early.
Citing reports from the Philippine Coast Guard, the National Security Council-Task Force West Philippine Sea said that the Chinese personnel onboard a rubber boat ordered Filipino fishermen aboard two outrigger boats to leave the area last September 6.
The Philippine government has earlier advised local fishermen to “proceed with caution” in fishing in the disputed waters.
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