US in South China Sea Illustration:Liu Rui/GT

The Philippines' recent hype and sensationalization of China's implementation of the annual fishing ban in the South China Sea and the new China Coast Guard (CCG) regulations are fueling tensions between the two countries amid already strained ties. 

Experts are calling on the Philippines to stop being self-absorbed and delusional in smearing China's regular efforts to upgrade maritime conservation and law enforcement levels.

The Philippine foreign ministry issued a statement on May 27 to protest China's imposition of a four-month long fishing ban in the South China Sea, saying that the ban "raises tensions" in the South China Sea and calling on Beijing to "cease and desist" from "illegal actions" that "violate the Philippines' sovereignty."

Since the official implementation of the marine seasonal fishing ban in 1999, this Chinese policy has been widely recognized for its ecological, economic and social benefits as an important means of conserving marine fisheries resources in waters around China. From May 1 to September 16 each year, with the exception of a few specific fishing methods and licensed fishing activities, all marine fishing vessels and supporting auxiliary vessels implement a phased fishing ban. 

The seasonal fishing ban in the South China Sea has to some extent curbed the decline of major economic fishery resources, while effectively reducing the damage caused by trawling and other fishing gear to the marine biological habitat, Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies told the Global Times.

Among ASEAN members, the Philippines has one of the most seriously destructive fishing problems. 

Destructive fishing methods such as overfishing, blast fishing or cyanide fishing are exacerbating the crisis of marine biodiversity in the Philippines. 

China, which has set aside the Philippines' provocations, has proposed cooperation initiatives in fisheries and marine environmental protection to the Philippines, but the Philippines has rejected these goodwill gestures and repaid kindness with ingratitude, Ding said.

What lies behind the malicious attacks on China's fishing ban system by the Philippines is the country's efforts to solidify its illegal gains in the South China Sea and to initiate a propaganda war against China even in less sensitive areas such as fishery resource conservation, Ding argued. 

The areas and tactics used by the Philippines to confront and smear China can be said to be increasingly widened, experts said.

The Philippines' protest comes on the heels of another complaint over China's recent regulations on administrative law-enforcement procedures of Coast Guard agencies (hereafter referred to as Procedures). The Procedures were approved and announced on May 15, and are set to take effect on June 15.

In a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines on May 26, the country expressed "serious concern" of China's Procedures, saying it "effectively covers areas" where the Philippines has "sovereignty," and is in "direct violation of international law."

Some Philippine media reports have hyped up some of provisions regarding the handling of administrative cases involving foreign parties.

Based on China's Coast Guard Law in 2021, the newly released Procedures aim to provide clear and practicable norms and will make maritime law enforcement and the entire case handling process more authoritative, standardized and professional, Ding said.

The Procedures do not target the current situation in the South China Sea and have no connection with China's countermeasures against Philippine provocations, Ding stressed. 

But China maintains strategic composure in countering the Philippines and will not allow continuous encroachments and provocations, or disruptions to regional peace and stability, he said. 

Lei Xiaolu, a professor of law with the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, Wuhan University, described the Philippines' nervous and prompt responses as "narcissistic." 

Lei believes that Philippine claims that China's baselines in the South China Sea are "illegal, null and void" and China's Procedures are inapplicable to relevant sea areas are "unfounded," as they involve the Philippines' illegal sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. 

Furthermore, despite the disputes between China and the Philippines, China still made goodwill arrangements for Filipino fishermen engaged in fishing activities near Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) from a humanitarian perspective. However, Filipino fishermen should conduct fishing activities in accordance with the relevant regulations of Chinese law. If they violate the relevant laws and regulations, the CCG has the right to enforce the law in accordance with domestic laws such as the Coast Guard Law and newly enacted Provisions. This does not violate international law, Lei explained.

Experts believe that the recent series of malicious misinterpretations and distortions in the Philippines' statements are typical examples of its cognitive wars aimed at attacking and smearing China by hyping the "China threat" rhetoric.    

The potential intention behind the Philippines is to summon outside forces to provide support and collaboration for confronting China in the disputed South China Sea, Ding said.

In recent years, the US has repeatedly hyped up China's so-called "illegal fishing" activities and the "China threat" theory, misled the international community, and continuously slandered China in the field of marine governance, Ding noted. 

"However, a lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie. China's relevant fishing moratorium measures have made important contributions to the sustainable development of fishery resources in the South China Sea, which is widely recognized, showcasing China's image as a responsible major country promoting the sustainable development of fisheries," the expert said.