菲律賓在南海部分海域放置浮標以宣示主權

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Philippines places buoys in parts of S. China Sea to assert sovereignty

Neil Jerome Morales

Sun, May 14, 2023 at 7:09 a.m. GMT+1

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines has placed navigational buoys within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, a coast guard spokesperson said on Sunday.

The step comes amid China's increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea as Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr pursues warmer ties with treaty ally the United States.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it set up five buoys carrying the national flag from May 10 to 12 in five areas within the 200-mile (322-km) zone, including the Whitsun Reef, where hundreds of Chinese maritime vessels moored in 2021.

"This move highlights the Philippines' unwavering resolve to protect its maritime borders and resources and contribute to the safety of maritime trade," Commodore Jay Tarriela, the coast guard spokesperson on South China Sea issues, said on Twitter.

China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In May 2022, the coast guard installed five navigational buoys on four islands in the Spratlys.

China's claim of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea was invalidated by an international arbitration ruling in 2016.

Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the Spratlys, where China has dredged sand to build islands on reefs, and equipped them with missiles and runways.

Beijing has for years deployed hundreds of coast guard and fishing vessels in disputed areas.

Translation

馬尼拉（路透社）- 菲律賓海岸警衛隊發言人周日表示，菲律賓已在其專屬經濟區 (EEZ) 內放置航行浮標，以維護對南中國海有爭議的南沙群島的主權。

隨著中國在南中國海採取的行動越來越咄咄逼人, 菲律賓總統小馬科斯尋求與條約盟友美國建立更密切的關係。

菲律賓海岸警衛隊（PCG）表示，它於 5 月 10 日至 12 日在 200 英里（322 公里）區域內的五個區域設置了五個懸掛國旗的浮標，其中包括 Whitsun Reef，在2021年數百艘中國海上船舶在那裡停泊.

南海問題海岸警衛隊發言人 Jay Tarriela 准將在推特上說: “此舉凸顯了菲律賓保護其海上邊界和資源,並為海上貿易安全做出貢獻的堅定決心” 。

中國駐馬尼拉大使館沒有立即回應置評請求。

2022年5月，海岸警衛隊在南沙群島的四個島嶼上安裝了五個導航浮標。

2016 年的一項國際仲裁裁決宣告中國對幾乎整個南海的主權主張無效。

文萊、馬來西亞、台灣和越南也對南沙群島擁有主權，中國在那裡挖沙建多個礁島，並在礁島配備導彈和跑道。

多年來，北京在爭議地區部署了數百艘海岸警衛隊和漁船。

So, the Philippines has placed navigational buoys within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to assert sovereignty over the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea. I am interested in knowing how China will react to this move.