“The recent occupation of Sandy Cay by Chinese forces is a blatant act of aggression and a gross violation of international law. This highly provocative action serves only to escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea, further destabilizing the entire region.”

MANILA — Progressive group Bayan Muna strongly condemned China’s occupation of Sandy Cay, a sandbar near Pag-asa Island that lies within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), calling it a “blatant act of aggression” and warning against the Philippines becoming entangled in superpower rivalries.

Former Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate lambasted China’s latest move, stressing that the seizure violates Philippine sovereignty and international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“The recent occupation of Sandy Cay by Chinese forces is a blatant act of aggression and a gross violation of international law,” Zarate said. “This highly provocative action serves only to escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea, further destabilizing the entire region.”

Sandy Cay, a low-tide elevation located just 2.5 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island, the largest Philippine-occupied feature in the Spratly Islands, has long been a flashpoint. Since 2017, China has been accused of incrementally increasing its presence in the area, undermining Filipino fishers and asserting its expansive but internationally invalidated nine-dash line claim.

The Philippines’ legal victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 invalidated China’s sweeping claims. However, critics have noted that successive administrations have failed to decisively assert this ruling, emboldening Chinese encroachments.

Firm resistance, not militarization

Zarate called for a “firm and decisive” response to the occupation but stressed that this must not lead to greater militarization or dependence on the United States and other foreign powers.

“While we must unite against China’s intrusion, we must also be vigilant against the use of other foreign powers, including the United States, for their own hegemonic interests,” Zarate warned. “The West Philippine Sea must not be turned into a battlefield of imperialist powers.”

Progressive formations have long criticized Washington’s pivot to Asia under both Democratic and Republican administrations, arguing that U.S. military buildup—including through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and recent joint patrols—is less about defending Philippine sovereignty and more about asserting American dominance in the region.

Zarate emphasized that Philippine interests should not be sacrificed in the rivalry between China and the United States. “We must prioritize diplomacy and multilateral cooperation over unilateral actions that only exacerbate tensions,” he said.

A call for genuine sovereignty 

The former lawmaker demanded the “immediate and unconditional withdrawal” of Chinese forces from Sandy Cay and other illegally occupied areas within the Philippine EEZ. He also called on the international community and the United Nations to hold China accountable and to support efforts to declare the South China Sea a Zone of Peace.

“We must ensure that it remains a sea of peace, cooperation, and mutual respect,” Zarate said.

Grassroots fisherfolk organizations such as PAMALAKAYA (Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas) have repeatedly reported harassment by Chinese maritime forces, resulting in massive economic losses and forced migration of coastal communities.

For Bayan Muna and allied groups, the struggle for the West Philippine Sea is deeply connected to the broader struggle for national sovereignty, genuine democracy, and social justice.

“We reject both Chinese aggression and U.S. militarization,” Zarate concluded. “The Filipino people must chart an independent foreign policy rooted in peace, not in the service of imperialist interests.” (RTS, RVO)