Filipino fishermen have reported that they were able to fish in the resource-rich Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Wednesday without any harassment from the Chinese Coast Guard. This has raised speculations that China finally may have given the fishermen access to the shoal following Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's recent visit to Beijing.

Like Us on Facebook

"We received a radio message that some of our fellow fishermen were able to approach the shoal. The Chinese Coast Guard did not intercept their boats," boat captain Aniceto Achina said on Wednesday.

Achina said some eight groups of fishermen in the shoal have radioed him for more supplies saying the Chinese Coast Guard did not drive them away from the area.

Standoff

Fishermen from  nearby coastal towns have also started fishing in the shoal. They said a  Chinese patrol ship sailed by but did not shoo them away when they entered the waters near the shoal.

China seized control of the Scarborough Shoal after a two-month standoff with the Philippine Coast Guard in 2012.

Since then, the Chinese Coast Guard has reportedly blocked the shoal and prevented Filipino fishermen from fishing in the area, depriving them of their only source of livelihood for the past four years.

China visit

During his recent four-day visit to China, President Duterte said that he would not raise the South China Sea dispute with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but will instead negotiate for the rights of Filipino fishermen to the Scarborough Shoal.

Duterte told the media on Sunday that the Filipino fishermen might be able to return to the shoal if Chinese leaders stay true to their word.

The Philippine delegation to China with Duterte had revealed that they rejected a proposal from Chinese leaders that said China "would allow" and "permit" Filipino fishermen to access the shoal.

Common fishing ground

The "language," the delegation said, runs contrary to the the recent Hague-based arbitration court ruling that said the Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal in Philippines) belongs to no one country and is a common fishing ground for Chinese, Philippine, and Vietnamese fishermen.

The court ruled in July that China has no legal basis for its territorial claims in the South China Sea and that Beijing's actions had violated the Philippines' rights to explore resources within its exclusive economic zone.

China rejected the ruling dismissing it as "illegal" and "null and void." 

TagsSouth China Sea, Scarborough Shoal, Chinese Coast Guard, Filipino fishermen, standoff, china, Philippines