Marking Heroes Day, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today released a seven-page statement (https://bit.ly/2HqpRxF) which detailed the “sustained and systematic economic encroachment and military intrusion by superpower China” and called on all “freedom-loving Filipinos” to build a “national patriotic front” to “regain full sovereign control” of the West Philippine Sea and the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“It is the patriotic duty of every Filipino to fight for the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity as long as the Philippines remains a semicolonial country,” declared the Party. It said the struggle against China’s “intrusion and encroachment” forms “part of their overall struggle to achieve genuine national freedom and social justice.”

The CPP issued the statement as the Philippines marks Heroes Day which commemorates the Cry of Pugad Lawin of 1896, the signal fire of the revolutionary armed struggle led by the Katipunan for liberation from Spanish colonialism.

The Party urged all “freedom-loving Filipinos to stand firmly and act with a deep sense of patriotism to defend the country’s sovereignty and national freedom against China’s intrusion and intervention.” It added: “Unite to raise the country’s flag as a symbol of national struggle.”

“This is of great urgency as the country’s sovereignty is further being eroded by China as it challenges US imperialism for dominance in the Philippines and the rest of the Asia-Pacific.” The CPP said China is engaged in “economic and military expansionism.”

The Party urged Filipinos “to call for the dismantling of all Chinese military facilities in the Spratly islands and demand the withdrawal of all Chinese forces from these artificial islands.” It also supported the call for the withdrawal of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in the Panatag Shoal which impede Filipino fishermen entry into the rich fishing grounds. The CPP said “the act of building and militarizing these artificial islands constitutes imperialist aggression.”

The CPP also called on the Filipino people to demand China accountability for the Recto Bank incident, push for the removal of all Chinese fishing vessels from the country’s EEZ and seek a stop to China overfishing and an end to the large-scale catching of endangered marine wildlife.

The Party also urged the Filipinos to demand a stop to the display of force by Chinese war vessels in Philippine seas as well as China’s exploration activities within the country’s territorial waters and EEZ.

The Party said the struggle to “wrest back control of our seas” is “currently one of the crucial battlegrounds” as it urges people to support the collective action of Filipino fisherfolk and fishing boat operators. It called on fishermen “to unite and act in large numbers and be at the forefront of this struggle.”

The CPP said the people can demand China to pay more than $175 billion in liabilities as remuneration for damage to at least 124 square kilometers of corals caused by Chinese land reclamation and as back rent for years of illegal occupation of sea features in Philippine maritime territory.

The Party also urged the Filipinos to demand that the terms of all loan agreements with China be made public and call for the cancellation of those deals that are detrimental to the interests and welfare of the Filipino people as well as environmentally-destructive projects such as the Chico River and Kaliwa dam projects.

It also urged the people to demand a revocation of the franchise granting state-owned China Telco and Huawei Technologies Inc. license to operate a telecommunication company in the Philippines through its dummy.

The CPP also called on all patriotic forces in the government, including those in the military and police, to act in consonance with the people’s cause.