Manila: China renewed a stalemate in the contested South China Sea, after it sent an aircraft and one maritime vessel that harassed a Philippine vessel with nine French archaeologists, before it reached the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, a spokesman and other sources said.

The Chinese aircraft also observed the lone Philippine ship that remained near Scarborough Shoal, 230 kilometres west of Subic Bay, said Foreign Affairs Spokesman Raul Hernandez.

“The stalemate remains. Both sides are in touch with each other,” Hernandez said, but added that a lower-ranking Philippine foreign affairs official will continue negotiating with China’s envoy Ma Keqing because Manila’s Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario had flown to the United States.

Before he left for the US, del Rosario told the Star, “We received reports from the Philippine Coast Guard that China sent back one of its white ships, bringing the number of Chinese ships to the area back to two.”
The same ship harassed a Philippine-registered vessel with nine French nationals conducting archaeological surveys (in the area), del Rosario added.

Observers said the tension must end soon because China might misinterpret as provocation the war-games and sea-drill to be held starting Monday by 4,000 soldiers of the United States and the Philippines at three places, including Palawan, in southwest Philippines, which faces the South China Sea.

Militant students also scheduled protest rallies against the holding of war-games.

Placating China, spokesperson of President Benigno Aquino, Abigail Valte said, “We are hoping that this will not result in provocation.”

The Philippines is committed in peacefully resolving the tension in the South China Sea, Valte said.

“The US-Philippines Balikatan (arm in arm) exercises were long planned, way before the standoff at the Scarborough Shoal,” said Major Emmanuel Garcia, spokesman for the Philippine contingent involved in the war-exercises.

“The focus (of the war –exercises is not China but) on improving security, counter terrorism and humanitarian and disaster response,” explained Garcia.

A standoff began last April 8 when two civilian fishing vessels stopped Philippine Navy’s warship, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, from arresting Chinese fishermen on eight fishing vessels who were caught with live sharks, clam, and corals that were illegally taken near Scarborough Shoal.

The two countries exchanged diplomatic protests, but eventually negotiated to recall their protests and to move their ships away from each other from Thursday to Saturday.

China, Vietnam, and Taiwan claim the whole of the South China Sea, based on historical rights and old maps. Brunei, Malaysia, and Philippines claim some parts of it including areas of Spratly Archipelago off the South China Sea, based on their 250 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (from their coastlines), based on the United Nations Conference on the law of the Sea (UNCLOS).