“We are afraid of China,” says fisherman Benjo Atay while his small bamboo boat on the island of Palawan in the Philippines gets hit by strong wind and rain.
He yells instructions at his young team, most of whom are his relatives, while they pull on ropes to steer the boat away from the harbor. They are already covered in salty water and sweat – but it is not the weather that scares them.
He says that the Chinese ships go around us and follow us closely. When we are tied down or secured to something with an anchor, we cannot move freely. They would make us go away. “They want to get rid of us. ”
The Philippines and China are in a heated disagreement over who should control certain areas in the South China Sea.
China recently released a map claiming ownership of over 90% of the sea, which has led to protests from multiple countries including this one.
In the past, Manila may have quietly complained about China stopping its ships. But now, Manila has become louder and more confident in expressing its concerns, supported by help from Washington and its allies.
“We are concerned about the increasing tensions, but we are not discouraged,” said Jonathan E Malaya, who is a high-ranking official at the Philippines National Security Council.
In the past few months, the Philippines has allowed the US to use important military bases, organized the biggest ever joint military exercises with the US, and frequently criticized China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea. As Philippine and Chinese coastguards play a repetitive game on the disputed waters, Manila announced that they will teach fishermen how to defend their territory at sea.
The message is easy to understand. Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the coastguard in the West Philippine Sea, said that if you are Filipino, whether in the government or private sector, and no matter your political beliefs, supporting and making excuses for China’s aggressive behavior means you are not loyal to the Philippines and its people. This makes you a traitor.
China believes that it owns the entire South China Sea, including areas that other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei also claim as their own. These things aren’t new, but they are becoming louder and more risky.
The most recent episode is about the faraway Ayungin shoal. It is located more than 620 miles away from the closest part of mainland China and about 120 miles away from Palawan island.
In the past six months, Chinese ships used water cannons and lasers to keep the Philippine coastguard away from the shoal. The boats were taking important water and food to soldiers on an old warship called Sierra Madre. Manila purposely put the ship on a reef in their waters. It was a planned and deliberate action to try to stay at the shoal.
This is land that the Philippines got in 2016 from an international court. The court said that Beijing’s claim to owning most of the South China Sea was not legal.
These fishing areas are very profitable, and being able to get to the shoal also means being able to reach Reed Bank, which has a lot of oil and natural gas.
The Philippines didn’t let China’s power stop them. They made another attempt to send supplies to their soldiers on the Sierra Madre, and this time, they were able to do it.
“It’s like a small person fighting against a big person,” Mr. However, just like David, we will keep working hard and focus even more on safeguarding the resources that are crucial for the future of the Philippines.
But China’s government does not have the same perspective. It says that Sierra Madre is not respecting its authority. A statement from the Chinese coastguard said they used a water cannon on the Filipino boat in a professional and controlled manner.
Manila attempted to use a hotline it created with China to calm the situation, but nobody picked up the phone.
MrMalaya said that they want to solve the problem, but he also admitted that things are moving slowly and that everyone doesn’t agree at the moment.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos has changed his approach towards China. Unlike Rodrigo Duterte, who tried to be friendly with China, President Marcos is now getting closer to the United States.
He has also made each argument with Beijing in the South China Sea known to the public. If it is difficult for the Philippine coastguard to bring supplies to the ship stuck on Ayungin shoal, it will be shown on TV. Importantly, the United States is not very distant.
The commander of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet recently said that China’s strong actions in the South China Sea need to be confronted and controlled.
Vice Admiral Karl Thomas promised Manila that they have support from the US despite the difficult situations they face in the region. He told Reuters news agency that his troops are here with a purpose. You need to confront and question people who operate in an unclear or uncertain area. When people are demanding more and more from you and pressuring you, you need to stand up for yourself, and keep moving forward.
Beijing said that the US was twisting the truth and causing disagreements in order to show their influence.
In the past, Washington was unsure about what Beijing was doing in the South China Sea, and some countries in that area still don’t know if they can believe or rely on its promises of help. When a new leader takes charge, they may also change their beliefs or attitudes.
However, at present, the US is proving that it will support its allies in Asia. Other countries have also been present in the South China Sea, not just the US.
Last week, the US, Japan, and Australia had a joint practice session with the Philippines. The ambassador of Japan to Manila called it a very important moment for defense. Forces from Australia and the Philippines participated in the biggest military exercises ever conducted by the two countries. These exercises involved practicing a pretend landing on a beach and carrying out air attacks near the South China Sea.
There’s nowhere else where many countries are so close to a rival power, and this makes people worried that there could be a mistake during these fights in the sea.
In simpler terms, allied help for Manila could make the dispute even worse. However, Palawan’s fishermen might not want to take that risk.
The head of the Philippine Army, Romeo Brawner, announced that they want to hire fishermen and teach them new skills for duty as reserve soldiers. Larry Hugo, the person in charge of the regional office for the Kalayaan Palawan Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, found it funny when the BBC asked him if he knew any fishermen who were willing to join a militia.
“No, we don’t want to be part of it,” he said. “It will be difficult if China discovers us. ” Fishers in this area will be singled out. The Chinese are getting more violent or forceful. “They have also grown in numbers. ”
According to Mr. Malaya from the Philippines National Security Council, the Chinese are using many fishing boats near the Ayungin shoal, which are basically like military ships.
These are tools that China uses to show its strength, and they are a part of China’s military equipment. They scare and bother our fishermen in the area,” he said.
Beijing says there is no such militia.
Benjo Atay says he is not willing to sail near those waters or engage in combat there, no matter what.
He has been fishing close to Ayungin shoal since he was 14 years old. It is called after a type of fish that is in danger of disappearing and only found in the Philippines. Many families who have little money are familiar with this fish.
Once, he and other fishermen who lived on islands near Palawan sailed near Chinese boats in the same waters for several months.
Now that Mr. Atay is in his 30s, he values the safety of the crew more than catching a large amount of fish.
I don’t believe we will return to that place. We are really afraid. They may use their water gun to spray water. Yes, we only have a boat made of wood. We are very scared to return there.
The beautiful blue-green oceans and white beaches of Palawan are perfect and tranquil. To stay alive in this place, you have to fish if you want to have food to eat.
For many years, the people on this island have made homes in rocky bays and sandy shores. These homes are small with roofs made of corrugated iron. Babies sleep in hammocks that are hung in the kitchen.
A storm has stopped most of the boats from going out, so some people are walking into the shallow water with nets and buckets to catch shellfish. Some people are using the time to fix their boats and nets.
The kids have a break from school and play basketball on a makeshift court made of overturned boats. Some people say they want to become professional basketball players, but when asked if they want to be fishermen, they enthusiastically say yes.
Mr Atay says that it is becoming more difficult every year. How can we do our job well when we’re scared. We can’t concentrate on fishing so we stay on the island where Filipinos are allowed to go.
These communities are committed to staying quiet and not getting involved in these fights over land. But what happens in the future could determine what happens to them.
That future used to rely on wind and the movement of the sea. Now, the outcome will rely on how determined world leaders are.