Manila: A move by China and the Philippines to withdraw ships from a disputed territory in the South China Sea rekindled prospects for a peaceful resolution to a sea border dispute that hounded both countries.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said that after a two-month impasse, two Chinese maritime vessels and a ship deployed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have withdrawn from the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal.

“Following our consultations, the two Chinese maritime vessels and our BFAR vessel are no longer in the lagoon,” the DFA said adding that consultations between the two countries on remaining issues concerning the island territory continue.

“We continue the consultations to address the remaining issues in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal),” the DFA added.

It can be recalled that tensions between the two countries reached fever pitch in late April after the Philippine Navy apprehended four Chinese fishing boats in Scarborough Shoal, a sea territory located some 120 nautical miles from the Philippines’ Zambales province.

The Chinese fishers were caught catching endangered marine wildlife such as sea turtles, fishes among others. The incident led to a stand off that strained relations between the two Asian neighbours.

A couple of months into the dispute, officials also see a silver lining behind an issue driving a wedge between Manila and Beijing and the eventual adoption of more permanent measures to prevent similar episodes in the future.

Asked by reporters if he sees the situation in Scarborough to improve with the pullout of ships, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said: “Yes, this is an easing of strains and we appreciate the gesture of both parties to deescalate tension in Panatag Shoal.”

 

Fishing ban

 

A common gesture by China and the Philippines was the respective enforcement of unilateral seasonal fishing ban in the area to allow marine life in the territory to regenerate.

“There is a fishing ban on the Chinese side and there is a fishing ban on the Philippine side… there is an environmental protection ban on the part of the BFAR to maintain the ecosystem in the Panatag Shoal.”

But Lacierda said ultimately, that the way forward is for the peaceful resolution of the standoff in the Scarborough Shoal.

“The fact that we are able to ease tension, the fact that the Chinese have decided to withdraw their maritime vessels is a step in the right direction. Our call has been to de-escalate tension in the Panatag Shoal and we view this as a positive development.”

According to the DFA, although the vessels from both sides moved out of the Scarborough Shoal lagoon, they remain in the vicinity of the contested area.

According to the Philippines, Scarborough Shoal is an integral part of the Philippine territory as it is part of the municipality of Masinloc in Zambales province. On the other hand, Beijing believes that the disputed territory is located within China’s continental shelf and is part of its area.