BEIJING/Manila: China said yesterday it hoped for a further easing of tensions after the Philippines pulled back two vessels from a group of disputed rocks, ending a two-month standoff between the two sides.
China has territorial disputes with the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan across the South China Sea, each searching for gas and oil while building up their navies and military alliances.
“We hope there will continue to be an easing in the situation and hope bilateral cooperation will recover and be safeguarded,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing. “We hope the Philippines can exercise restraint.” He added that Chinese fishing boats in the area were heading back to port because of bad weather, the same reason given by Manila for the pull back.
Lightly armed Philippine coast guard ships had since April taken turns to escort a fishing boat guarding the mouth of Scarborough Shoal, a group of rock formations about 124 nautical miles west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon.
At one time, China had nearly 100 civilian surveillance ships, fishing vessels and smaller utility boats in the area, raising tension in the South China Sea, threatening trade, tourism and political relations between the two sides.
Rebel killed
In Zamboanga, police shot dead a guerrilla who was allegedly behind the kidnapping of two Americans in the southern Philippines, officials said yesterday.
Police commandos killed Wahid Pingli in a raid Sunday on his home on Sacol Island, off the coast of Zamboanga City, said regional commander Chief Superintendent Napoleon Estilles.
He allegedly abducted American Gerfa Yeatts Lunsmann and her 14-year-old son Kevin as well as a teenage Filipino nephew while they were vacationing in the troubled south in July.
“Wahid’s group are also said to be responsible for extortion activities, harassment and kidnapping of prominent families and teachers in this city,” Estilles told reporters.
The mother and the Filipino relative were freed unharmed in October while Kevin Lunsmann walked free in December amid suspicions that ransom was paid.
Documents found in the raid showed that Pingli was a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a separatist group that is engaged in peace talks with the government, Estilles said.
An assault rifle, a grenade launcher and bullets were also recovered, the police commander added.
MILF spokesman Von Al-Haq confirmed that Pingli was a member but denied that he was involved in kidnappings.
“He is innocent and we are still confirming the veracity of the reports against our slain comrade,” he said.
The MILF will file a protest with the government over the killing, which violated the cease-fire agreement between the two sides, he added.
The MILF waged a rebellion for more than three decades, originally for the establishment of an independent state in Mindanao, the southern third of the mainly Catholic Philippines.
In recent years it has dropped its independence demand and signed a cease-fire with Manila in order to negotiate for autonomous control over large areas of Mindanao.
However many Muslim extremists have turned to kidnapping for ransom to raise money, often targeting foreigners.
China urges restraint over sea row
