A US proposal to train Filipino fishermen as informants, tasked with reporting illegal fishing and environmental degradation by foreign vessels, has triggered concern that civilians could be thrust into the front lines of the South China Sea dispute.
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Jonathan Fritz, US principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, outlined the initiative during a round-table discussion at the US embassy in Manila on Thursday.
Despite Washington’s recent overhaul of its foreign assistance programmes, Fritz said the Philippines would remain a key recipient of US support in certain areas.
“One of the key areas where we will be focusing our foreign assistance is helping the Philippines to better monitor illegal fishing,” Fritz said. “Just be aware of vessels from non-Filipino fishers that are here taking resources of the Filipino people without their permission.”
The strategy would involve collaboration with local governments and fishing communities to establish intelligence-sharing protocols with national authorities, he explained.
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The plan was floated against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims have led to confrontations between rival vessels, fierce competition for marine resources and environmental damage.