Kinondena ni Senador Richard “Dick” Gordon ang Tsina dahil sa isyu ng Julian Felipe Reef kung saan namataan ang 44 na barko nito. Ayon kay Gordon, ang mga Pilipinong mangingisda ay matagal nang biktima ng harassment ng Tsina at maging ang Philippine Navy ay nakatanggap ng pananakot. “In the last ten years, there have been 25 encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. Our fishermen have been harassed, their catch stolen, their boats destroyed and sunk leaving them stranded floating at sea, and our own Navy’s boats have been threatened,” ayon kay Gordon sa kanyang pahayag sa pamamagitan ng Facebook. Nagprotesta ang Pilipinas sa pagtigil ng mga barkong Tsino sa Julian Felipe Reef at ayon kay Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, dapat na itong umalis sa lugar dahil wala silang dahilan para tumigil doon. Dagdag ni Gordon, unti-unting inookupa ng Tsina ang Pilipinas at nagsabing kailangan ng bansa ng malakas na puwersa upang ipagtanggol ang sarili. “We cannot sit around doing nothing while China little by little attempts to occupy our territory. We must strengthen our economy so that we can build a stronger military and defend ourselves against bigger nations,” sabi niya. Ayon kay Gordon, “Friendships and alliances are important, and we must seek help from stronger allies when we need to before it is too late, but we must work towards being able to impose ourselves when necessary to protect our territory.” Noong Abril 3, sinabi ni Lorenzana na dapat magpaliwanag ang ambassador ng Tsina sa bansa ukol sa Julian Felipe Reef. “The Chinese Ambassador to the PH has a lot of explaining to do. There are still 44 Chinese vessels that are in Julian Felipe Reef. I am no fool. The weather has been good so far, so they have no reason to stay there. These vessels should be on their way out. Umalis na kayo diyan,” ayon sa kanya.
