South China Sea: most Filipinos want Beijing to follow rules-based order, survey shows

Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr said in a press briefing late Thursday that these measures would include “fighting back” during self-defence sea operations, protecting potential targets from Chinese missile and drone attacks, as well as countering Chinese fake news about the dispute.

He recalled that, during the June 17 incident in which Chinese coastguard personnel boarded two Philippine resupply vessels while brandishing knives and other sharp objects, Filipino soldiers were under strict orders to fight back without using any weapons.

He said that under the new rules of engagement, “if they use the knife, we will also use a knife… We will not use excessive force but apply the concept of proportionality.”

In a survey by Pulse Asia released on Friday involving 1,200 adult Filipinos from May 5 to 9, the private pollster asked, given a list of five measures, which ones should China do to ease tensions?

Sixty-four per cent of respondents said they wanted China to “agree to a code of conduct to govern actions of countries claiming territories and waters in the West Philippine Sea or South China Sea”. The West Philippine Sea refers to the portion of the South China Sea which includes Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the Pag-Asa or Thitu island.

Some 61 per cent also wanted China to “remove its coastguard and militia vessels” sailing in Manila’s maritime territory.

None of the measures the Philippine government has said it could take to “reduce tensions” surveyed by Pulse Asia was received enthusiastically by respondents.

Only 41 per cent said they wanted to “continue diplomatic discussions with China towards developing a code of conduct”.

One of Manila’s proposed measures – requesting US