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MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Embassy in Manila has rejected Philippine Coast Guard Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela 's defense of the government's transparency initiative, accusing him of cherry-picking facts and using the campaign to attack China.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday, June 13, Chinese Embassy Deputy Spokesperson Guo Wei said China's activities in and around Bajo de Masinloc, which Beijing calls Huangyan Dao, are legitimate exercises of its sovereignty and should not be questioned.
"Huangyan Dao is China's inherent territory, and China has indisputable sovereignty over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters," Guo said.
He added that China's activities, including scientific research in the area, are "normal actions within the scope of its sovereignty."
Guo also blamed the Philippines for escalating tensions in the disputed waters.
"In recent years, the Philippine side has continuously stirred up trouble and provoked China in and around Huangyan Dao under the pretext of 'transparency,'" he said.
The Chinese official further claimed that some Philippine military and coast guard officials had publicly talked about "retaking" the shoal, which he said contributed to rising tensions at sea.
Tarriela defends transparency
The statement was issued in response to Tarriela's remarks defending the government's release of aerial images showing a movable platform inside Bajo de Masinloc.
Tarriela had argued that the Philippine Coast Guard merely documented, geolocated and publicly released information about the structure, saying the disclosure was an act of transparency rather than an attempt to "hype" the issue.
The PCG official also criticized Beijing for attacking the reporting instead of explaining the presence of the platform.
"The imagery speaks for itself, and we put it in front of the Filipino people, the region, and the international community precisely so that no one has to take our word for it — or Beijing’s," Tarriela said on Facebook on Friday, June 12.
But Guo dismissed the transparency initiative as a political tool used to shape public opinion against Beijing.
"The so-called 'transparency' initiative is nothing but a pretext Mr. Tarriela uses to cherry-pick facts, manipulate public opinion and attack and smear China," Guo said.
According to Guo, if Tarriela truly wanted transparency, he should also present China's explanations and position on the maritime dispute.
Platform raises concerns
The exchange comes after Philippine maritime officials raised concerns over a movable platform that was first documented inside Bajo de Masinloc in May.
National Maritime Council spokesperson Alexander Lopez said the structure appeared to be a platform being used to gather maritime data without Philippine authorization.
"Ang ginagawa nila ay kumukuha sila ng data/impormasyon at practically ninanakaw nila iyong data sa atin," Lopez said in an interview with PTV's "Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon."
Lopez stressed that maritime surveys and research activities within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone require the consent of the coastal state under international law.
Tarriela earlier said this was the first documented case of a movable platform being placed in Bajo de Masinloc.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, commercial satellite imagery showed no man-made structure at the shoal's entrance on May 20. The following day, authorities monitored two Chinese research vessels near the area and later observed what appeared to be a square platform at the southeastern entrance of the shoal.
Government monitoring also showed six Chinese nationals aboard the platform on May 30, while subsequent observations indicated that the structure had been moved into the lagoon with the assistance of service boats.
Tarriela said the platform measured about 30 square meters and was equipped with four metal poles that officials believe could be used as stilts when it is placed in a stationary position.
Bajo de Masinloc platform removal ordered
The Department of Foreign Affairs has since filed diplomatic action and called on China to remove the platform, maintaining that only the Philippines has the right to construct structures and conduct activities in Bajo de Masinloc.
The DFA said the platform's continued presence without Philippine consent violates Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction and is inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 arbitral ruling and China's commitments under the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
DFA Maritime Affairs spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva Jr. earlier said the Philippines has "indivisible, incontrovertible, and longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction" over Bajo de Masinloc.
In defending the government's decision to publicize the discovery, Tarriela cited China’s occupation of Mischief Reef in 1995, noting that facilities initially described as shelters for fishermen eventually evolved into a heavily developed artificial island with military infrastructure.
“The ‘fishermen’s shelter’ was the cover story,” Tarriela said, warning that China’s assurances on disputed waters should not be taken at face value.
"So when China waves away the structure at Bajo de Masinloc as 'normal,' it is asking the region to forget its own record. That is precisely why these actions cannot be taken at face value," he added.
"If China genuinely wants to be believed, there is a simple way to show it: pull out. Remove the platform, halt the installation of buoys/communication towers, and respect the 2016 Arbitral Award and waters that are legally ours," the PCG official said.
He said anything less would only confirm a pattern, noting that China’s assurances at Bajo de Masinloc are no more credible than its statements on Mischief Reef three decades ago.
"The choice belongs to Beijing. It can preserve what little good faith the region and the international community still extend to it, or it can keep proving why that trust was misplaced to begin with," Tarriela said. — with a report from Camille Diola
