SOUTH CHINA SEA TENSIONS: A Filipino envoy cited growing concern over ‘gray zone’ activities, while Taiwan called on the UN to combat cable interference
The Philippines is exploring deeper cooperation with Taiwan on protecting undersea cables and addressing “gray zone” activity, despite Manila’s “one China” policy, a Philippine diplomat said on Wednesday.
The Philippines and Taiwan have repeatedly complained about Chinese activities designed to pressure the countries without direct confrontation.
Felipe F. Carino III, deputy chief of mission at the Philippine embassy in Washington, told a seminar that this “pragmatic and practical approach” with Taiwan was necessary to protect mutual interests in the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines.
People look at the cable ship CS Dependable at a port in Taichung on April 18, 2023.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
Speaking at Washington’s Center for a New American Security, Carino linked cable security to South China Sea tensions, but did not mention China by name.
Security of undersea cables was vital, given that they carried nearly all intercontinental data flows “and that 60 to 67 percent of cyber incidents happen in our region,” he said.
“These are very important features that should be protected, so much so that we are exploring deeper cooperation with our friends in Taiwan,” Carino said, adding that the Philippines was doing so “notwithstanding our one China policy.”
Taiwan and the Philippines are exploring “practical and more pragmatic approaches in cooperation, including knowledge-sharing and capacity building,” he said.
“We see this cooperation leading toward ... addressing the gray-zone issues in our part of the world,” he added.
Asked if the cooperation could include joint patrols or accountability for vessels that disrupt communications, Carino said he did not have details, but added: “I’m sure that this is a constantly evolving cooperation, and some of the things that you mentioned may be actually coming to fruition.”
Taipei has stepped up efforts to protect undersea communications links, which are vital to the nation’s connections to the rest of the world, after several incidents involving cables and China-linked vessels.
This month, the Philippine coast guard said it had deployed its largest vessel and an aircraft to challenge a Chinese research ship operating off northern Batanes near undersea cable corridors.
At the same seminar, Deputy Representative to the US Andrea Yang (楊懿珊) referred to the jailing in Taiwan of a Chinese ship captain over damage to an undersea cable.
Taiwan will put more resources into developing uncrewed systems to improve maritime surveillance, Yang said.
Interference with undersea cables is an issue that should be taken up by the UN, which should consider mechanisms to prevent “bad behavior,” she added.
In Beijing, China warned the Philippines that it should “strictly adhere to the one China principle with real actions” and sent Taiwan a similar message, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning (毛寧) said yesterday.