China’s proposal to create a “common fishing area” in Bajo de Masinloc sounds good at first. Who wouldn’t want cooperation instead of conflict?
But here’s the problem: why should the Philippines agree to “share” something that international law already says Filipinos have the right to use?
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. wasted no time dismissing the proposal, saying the Philippines was “not born yesterday.” The blunt response may have sounded unusually direct, but it reflected a legal reality that has existed for nearly a decade. The 2016 Arbitral Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ruled that China has no legal basis for its expansive “nine-dash line” claims and recognized that Filipino fishermen have traditional fishing rights at Bajo de Masinloc. China has consistently rejected the ruling, but rejection does not erase its existence or its significance under international law.
That is why the proposal feels strange. Imagine someone blocking the gate to your house for years. Then one day, that same person smiles and says, “Let’s share the entrance.” Most people would not call that generosity. They would ask why they were stopped from using it in the first place.
For years, Filipino fishermen have complained of being chased away or blocked from fishing near Bajo de Masinloc. Philippine supply missions in the West Philippine Sea have also faced water cannon attacks and dangerous maneuvers from Chinese vessels. These incidents have been reported by both Philippine authorities and international news organizations. They are the reason many Filipinos find it hard to believe that this latest proposal is simply about cooperation.
No one is saying the Philippines should stop talking to China. Diplomacy is always better than conflict. Countries should keep communication open, especially on issues that affect peace and stability.
But diplomacy should not mean forgetting facts. It should not mean acting as if rights already recognized under international law are now something to be negotiated. That is where many Filipinos draw the line.
If China truly wants to build trust, there is a simple place to start. Let Filipino fishermen fish without fear. Avoid actions that increase tensions at sea. Respect international law, even if there are disagreements over it.
Good relationships are built through actions, not announcements.
At the end of the day, this is not just about fishing. It is about standing up for what already belongs to the Filipino people. If there is a lesson in this latest episode, it is a simple one: cooperation is welcome, but it cannot be built on the idea that Filipinos should be grateful for access to waters where they already have recognized rights. One cannot “share” what was never exclusively theirs to begin with.
