China, Philippines vessels face off in second day of clashes
CHINESE and Philippine vessels faced off in back-to-back clashes in contested waters in the South China Sea throughout the weekend as tensions heightened in the dispute between the two countries over maritime territory.
The Philippines’ sea task force said its vessels were damaged after being “directly targeted” on Sunday (Dec 10) by a Chinese coast guard ship with a water cannon during a supply mission to Second Thomas Shoal. A Philippine boat was also rammed by a Chinese vessel, the task force said in a statement.
China’s Coast Guard said the Philippine boat ignored warnings and “deliberately collided” with its vessel, which was sailing normally for law enforcement purposes. The responsibility lies entirely with the Philippines, the Coast Guard said in a statement.
“The Philippines should immediately stop its infringements and strictly control frontline provocations,” China Coast Guard spokesman Gan Yu said on Weibo. The Chinese authority will resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights, he said.
The latest incident occurred a day after Manila reported that the Chinese Coast Guard fired water cannons at Philippine civilian ships near Scarborough Shoal, drawing US condemnation. Manila and Beijing have been locked in a dispute over maritime territory in the South China Sea and have been involved in tense encounters in contested waters over the past months.
About 200 civilians from the Philippines, including youth leaders and fisherfolk, sailed to the South China Sea on Sunday. The convoy was initially planning to first go to the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal but due to Sunday’s clash, will now proceed to parts of the Spratly Islands to deliver supplies to fishing communities, the organisers said in a statement. They will later assess whether they will return to the disputed shoal, according to the statement.
The US has pledged to continue bolstering ties with Indo-Pacific allies to counter Beijing’s expansive claims in the crucial waterway. The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, has strengthened its longstanding defence alliance with Washington, expanding access for American soldiers and holding joint patrols in contested waters.
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