Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said that there is still no response from China on a reported plan to board foreign ships sailing through what it claims to be its territory in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

In an ambush interview, del Rosario said that the Department of Foreign Affairs had sent a note verbale to the Chinese embassy in Manila seeking clarification of the reported plan, however, they have not yet received any reply.

“We have instructed our Beijing office to seek an official clarification and we’ve done the same here. We’ve sent a note verbale asking for the same thing. [but] there’s still no response,” he said.

Beijing earlier said that it has granted its police border patrol to board and seize foreign vessels entering in disputed territories.

“Activities such as entering the island province’s waters without permission, damaging coastal defense facilities, and engaging in publicity that threatens national security are illegal,” the China Daily reported.

When asked if China will really do it, del Rosario said that the department hopes that the report is not true because, he said that would be threat to the international community since it will impede freedom of navigation.

“I don’t know. that’s why we’re trying to clarify. We hope that the information is inaccurate because it really is a threat of significant magnitude to the international community, in terms of putting at risk the freedom of navigation and the legitimate commerce in those seas,” he said.

On the other hand, del Rosario said that if the report is true, China’s actions will be against International Law, however, he said that they are still studying President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s directive to move the case before international tribunal.

“We’re studying it. We are studying the instructions of the President to see whether it’s possible,” he said.

“It’s difficult for us to begin with to talk what we’re going to do. I think first of all it requires significant study and we’re studying it carefully as i said . . . and we’re not prepared to discuss what we’re going to do moving forward,” he added.

Earlier, the President said that the Philippines will accelerate the filing of a protest claim before an International Tribunal if China’s plans to board ships in the West Philippine Sea are verified as true.

If found to be true, the President said that the country could either file a diplomatic note or formal protest. “We might accelerate and bring it before the appropriate international tribunal to finally settle the matter or at least start the process of settling it legally and concretely,”

The Philippines and China, along with Vietnam, Brunei, Indonenia and Taiwan, are claiming in whole or in part the Kalayaan (Spratly) group of islands in the West Philippine Sea, which are believed to be rich in oil, mineral and marine resources.