Under flimsy pretext, imperialist China recently deployed hundreds of armed maritime militia vessels in the Julia Felipe Reef situated within Philippine exclusive economic zone; and eventually, bolstered by Duterte regime’s dithering posture, annexed the said maritime territory of the country by unlawfully declaring it as part one of its island groups using the frivolous “historical rights” proposition.

This incident is only but one of the series of encroachments committed by China in the West Philippine Sea over the years as it expanded its economic and military interest in the region as an imperialist power. It has built military strongholds in scores of artificial islands within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Duterte from the very beginning is not incline to make a clear stand against Chinese military aggression. The tokenistic protestations from some of his top officials and his so-called “private diplomacy” are nothing but sham appearance of having some done something in the light of China’s brazen violations and public clamour for his administration to assert the 2016 United Nation Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) tribunal ruling.
Duterte and his ruling clique clearly have benefited immensely from its continued kowtowing to China from the hefty contract kickbacks (e.g. infrastructure/project and vaccine roll out), bribes from Chinese corporations and relations with Chinese syndicates.

Thus, it is up to the people to stand up and fight Chinese imperialist annexation of our country’s maritime territory and resources.

NDF-Negros is calling on all forces in the region from the progressive to conservative political opposition, to the elements within the administration and the military and police forces to establish the broadest unity possible and manifest a strong united position demanding sovereignty and an end to Chinese imperialist plunder of our natural resources.

The Negrosanon as Filipinos have a patriotic duty to defend Philippine sovereignty against all forms of foreign encroachments and to assert its sovereign rights and drive away imperialist aggressors. But this can only be done if we stand and fight as one. ###