Chinese warships dock in Davao City
April 30, 2017
Three Chinese warships arrived on Sunday in Davao City for a three-day goodwill visit.
Guided missile destroyer Chang Chun (DDG150), guided missile frigate Jin Zhou (FFG532) and type 903 replenishment ship Chao Hu (890) composed the flotilla of visiting vessels headed by Rear Admiral Shen Hao, the Deputy Commander of the East Sea Fleet of the People Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and concurrent Commander in Chief of the PLA Navy Task Group 150.
"This visit by Chinese Navy was aimed at expanding communication, promoting cooperation and improving friendship of the PN (Philippine Navy) and PLA Navy, and also fosters camaraderie and mutual understanding of the two navies through naval diplomacy," said Capt. Ramil Roberto Enriquez, commander of the Philippine Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) in a statement.
It could be recalled that Philippine warship and Chinese ships were engaged in a standoff in April 2012 in Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal in South China Sea. The standoff and later activities of China in the disputed waters prompted the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III to question China's nine-dash line theory in the South China Sea.
In July 2016, the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal invalidated China's nine-dash line, an imaginary line that practically covers almost the entire South China Sea. But China, which did not participate in the arbitration case, has been rejecting the ruling and up to now continued to claim almost whole of the China Sea and it even built seven artificial islands in the disputed waters.
When President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency last year, he decided to take a softer stance with China and even set aside the ruling of The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. He has said that he would raise with China the ruling at the proper time within his term.
Enriquez said BRP Nicolas Mahusay (PC119) rendered customary meeting procedures at the vicinity north of Davao Gulf and escorted the Chinese vessels to its designated berthing area.
Filipino sailors accorded the visiting navy a welcome ceremony upon arrival followed by a port briefing for security and health aboard one of the Chinese Navy vessels, he said.
He said the three-day visit will include "series of confidence building engagements" between the Philippine and Chinese Navies personnel, such as courtesy call on the Commander of NFEM by Rear Admiral Shen Hao with the ship’s commanding officers.
The Filipinos and Chinese navy troopers will also have goodwill games, shipboard tour to the invited guest, visit to NFEM hospital, a city tour within Davao City, reciprocal receptions, and send-off ceremony. (Celerina Monte/DMS)
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