That agreement intrinsically implied Philippine acceptance of China’s control of the Second Thomas Shoal, an agreement confirmed by then DND chief Gen. Voltaire Gazmin in a 2013 statement
The “transparency strategy” pioneered by ex-USAF Col. Raymond Powell aimed to expose China’s exercise of sovereign control of its claimed South China Sea territory, which necessitates police action against challenges to its authority, as “grayzone” tactics as they cannot be defined as oppressive or violent.
The strategy was sold to the Philippine government through a presentation by the Project Myoushu team led by Powell first to the Stratbase-ADRI, the “think tank” front of the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies in January 2023 and was immediately implanted by the Philippine Coast Guard simultaneous with PBBM’s announcement of the EDCA bases expansion.
In 2023, 11 months followed of almost weekly Philippine Coast Guard challenges China’s exercise of sovereignty over the Second Thomas Shoal (Ren’ai Jiao and Ayungin Shoal in Chinese and Filipino respectively) status defined by a 1999 agreement between China and the Philippines that only humanitarian supplies would be allowed to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre marine detachment.
That agreement intrinsically implied Philippine acceptance of China’s control of the Second Thomas Shoal, an agreement confirmed by then DND chief Gen. Voltaire Gazmin in a 2013 statement to media published in the Inquirer, the Philippine Star and the Manila Daily Bulletin.
PBBM in 2023 declared that if such agreement existed, then he rescinds it – which leaves the issue hanging.
Nevertheless, after 11 months of allegations from the Philippines of “military laser light blinding” of Philippine maritime forces personnel by the Chinese Coast Guard’s alleged violations of collision regulations, water cannoning, China, however, proved it could exercise its sovereign maritime police power with non-lethal methods and weapons consistent with international law.
In the course of the Philippines and Project Myoushu’s 2023 incitement of CCG reactions to the “transparency strategy” baiting the CCG, the latter proved successfully the effectivity of its strategy of employing overwhelming size and numbers of ships in skillful maneuverings to box out ships and boats violating warnings communicated via radio, signaling and attempted penetrations.
Actually, after a year of failure of the Project Myoushu and its “assertive transparency” all it achieved was to reinforce and reaffirm China’s effective “possession” of its claimed territory in the SCS as former President Rodrigo R. Duterte had declared in 2020 – and China has proven it without any lethal consequences for any party and never boarded a protaganist’s ship.
The success of China’s exercise of sovereignty and effective control has ASEAN and the world at large quietly acknowledging its demonstration of diplomatic forbearance, professional and humanistic maritime police action enforcement, skillful strategies and tactics that have so far outflanked Americans’ mischiefs and malice using the Philippines against China’s “red lines.”
In the face of the failure of Project Myoushu and the “transparency strategy,” our Department of Foreign Affairs has reverted to reemphasizing diplomatic work while the PCG has reduced its bellicosity and maintaining a lower profile.
Then lo-and-behold the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources takes over the bellicosity.
On Feb. 17, 2024 the BFAR was splashed across the front pages of almost all Philippine mainstream newspapers with headlines like this from the Philippine Star, “China using cyanide to ‘destroy’ Scarborough on purpose — BFAR” alleging that Chinese fisherfolk, “maritime militia” have used deadly cyanide to damage the Scarborough Shoal.
“BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera had this to say about the said traditional fishing grounds, an area claimed by the People’s Republic of China even if it’s well within the West Philippine Sea. ‘They intentionally destroy Bajo de Masinloc to prevent Filipino fishing boats to fish in the area.’ Briguera claimed a baseless estimate the damage could exceed P1 billion.”
Two days later, the PCG reversed the BFAR announcement saying in headlines, “We do not have any scientific study or any evidence that would suggest the cyanide fishing at Bajo de Masinloc can be attributed to the Chinese or even the Vietnamese fishermen,” PCG-West Philippine Sea spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said.