Fil-Ams hold rally to denounce China’s aggression in West Philippine Sea

SAN FRANCISCO – Filipino American activists  held a Philippine Independence Day rally in front of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, denouncing China’s increased aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

The Fil-Ams – joined last week by members of the Vietnamese, Hong Kong and Taiwanese communities – demanded that China cease harassment of Philippine vessels and fishermen in the West Philippine Sea.

The latest confrontation on June 17 at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal left eight Philippine Navy sailors injured, including one whose finger got cut off.

Fil-Am activists held a Philippine Independence Day rally in front of the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco. CONTRIBUTED

The protest action marked Philippine Independence Day and also commemorated the fifth anniversary of Hong Kong’s massive protest that led to China’s draconian security law.

The protest was led by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USPGG), Filipino American Human Rights Alliance (FAHRA) and the Anti-Chinese Expansion Movement.

They were joined by the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea (NYMWPS), the Vietnamese Community in Northern California, the Hong Kong Club of Northern California, the Hong Kong Club of America, the Guangdong Independence Party and the Yunnan Independence Movement.

The protesters chanted, “End the occupation, China out now,” assailing what they described as China’s military aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

“China is blatantly aggressive, using its old pirate tactics and gunboat diplomacy reflective of a bully nation,” FAHRA said in a statement.

“China is a rogue country that does not even respect the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that it signed in 1982.”

Following the latest confrontation on June 17, The US Department of Defense warned on Wednesday China’s increased aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) could result in more violence.

In a press briefing Wednesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the United States would “continue to stand” by its security ally under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which binds the US and the Philippines to come to each other’s aid in the event of an armed attack.

The next rally in front of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco is set for July 12, which will mark the 8th year anniversary of the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the West Philippine Sea.