The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Monday, June 17, that the latest allegations from China that a Philippine ship illegally entered its waters and collided with one of its coast guard vessels are "deceptive and misleading."
In a message to reporters, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the AFP should not explain as Ayungin Shoal is within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"The AFP will not discuss operational details on the legal humanitarian rotation and resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, which is well within our EEZ," said Xerxes.
"We will not dignify the deceptive and misleading claims of the China Coast Guard (CCG)," he furthered.
Trinidad stressed that the main issue remains the illegal presence and actions of Chinese vessels within the Philippines' EEZ, which infringe on our sovereignty and sovereign rights.
The AFP Public Affairs Chief said the continued aggressive actions of the CCG personnel are escalating tensions in the region.
Earlier in the day, the CCG said the Philippine supply ship "dangerously approached" the Chinese vessel off the waters of Ren'ai Reef (Chinese name of Ayungin Shoal), resulting in a collision.
The Ayungin Shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is well within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
It also disregards the 2016 arbitral ruling and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international ruling that China believes has no legal basis.
