Malacañang “hopes” no conflict erupts from China’s new coast guard law to fire on foreign vessels in waters it illegally claims. It’s feeble, critics cry. One doesn’t craft foreign policy on wishful thinking, former national security adviser Jose Almonte said in the 1990s. China is escalating aggression in our West Philippine Sea. It continues to landfill seven reefs as island garrisons, occupy other sea features and poach millions of tons of fish. Filipinos are barred from traditional fishing grounds. Encroached is 40 percent of Philippine waters.

Bondoc, J. (2021, February 19). It's China that must be sued for sea theft, ruin. The Philippine Star, p. 9.