The People's Republic of China should issue an official statement on the claim by Chinese scholars that Batanes is a "natural geographical extension of Taiwan," which the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) described as an attempt to desensitize the international community.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, Retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad stressed that "without any pushback" from the PRC, "it will soon become the stand of the Chinese Communist Party."

"Without any pushback, this will become the official party stand. And it would now become part of this pushback towards the Philippines" he said.

"It is very important that statements like this should be answered not only by the (Chinese) embassy but by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (of China). If they really have nothing to do with it. This is one attempt at desensitizing the international community... They should give a statement on that.," he added.

Trinidad also noted that following the false claims of the Chinese scholars "there has been no monitored changes in the posture of the Chinese of the PLA Navy or the Chinese Coast Guard over Batanes."

"Their illegal presence is still there. The continuing pushback of the AFP, the Coast Guard, (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) BFAR has been relentless against their illegal presence," he said.

"None has been monitored in the recent past related to their statement by the academics about Batanes," he added when asked if there is an increased presence of Chinese vessels and aircraft monitored in Batanes following the claims of the Chinese scholars.

However, Trinidad also assures that military has already intensified its security posture all over the country even before the Chinese scholars made a false claimed that Batanes is part of China as it is a "natural geographical extension of Taiwan"

"This is another attempt at malign influence. It is salami slicing in the information domain. Even before this statement from the academics came out, your AFP has already intensified its posture not only on the Batanes group of islands but all over the country with an outward-looking posture because of the advent of the comprehensive archipelagic defense concept," he said. Robina Asido/PHS