Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the West Philippine Sea, believes that the transparency campaign is key to exposing China's illegal activities in the Bajo de Masinloc area. Tarriela stated that the government's campaign for open disclosure is very important to prevent China's illegal activities in Bajo de Masinloc.
Importance of Public Disclosure
Tarriela said that public exposure is a crucial step after authorities confirmed the presence of a Chinese floating structure in the area. The Philippines fears that Beijing is testing whether it can build a permanent artificial island there, which is near Luzon.
According to Tarriela, exposing such actions aims to damage China's reputation in the eyes of the world so that it will think twice about its plans. He emphasized that timing is important because the Philippines is currently the host country of ASEAN, where the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea is being discussed. The goal is also to force China to return to proper negotiations.
Proposed Measures
Meanwhile, former Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Rommel Ong suggested that the Philippines should show presence in the route used by Chinese ships between Hainan and Bajo de Masinloc to block their supply and set clear limits against China's aggression.
