China and Philippines trade blows over maritime collision
The incident is the latest in a testy series of confrontations in the South China Sea
Beijing — China and the Philippines traded accusations over a maritime collision in the South China Sea on Monday, the latest in an increasingly testy series of confrontations over the disputed waters.
Meanwhile, hours later, the US said it had completed joint naval exercises in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with its treaty ally, as well as Japan and Canada.
China’s Coast Guard said a Philippines supply ship “deliberately and dangerously” approached a Chinese ship resulting in a slight collision after it “illegally intruded” into waters near Second Thomas Shoal, a charge that Manila rejected as “deceptive and misleading”.
Manila declined to comment directly on the incident, but lashed out at Beijing after a Chinese coast guard statement said the Philippines transport and replenishment ship ignored China’s repeated solemn warnings.
“We will not dignify the deceptive and misleading claims of the China Coast Guard,” said Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the Philippines armed forces’ public affairs office, adding they would not discuss operational details of resupply missions.
“The continued aggressive actions of the CCG are escalating tensions in the region,” Trinidad said. The Philippines military maintains that the main issue is the illegal presence and actions of Chinese vessels within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3-trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
Philippines Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela said the agency was not in a position to provide any details on the incident as it was not a coast guard operation.
The US Pacific Fleet said in a statement it had concluded the two-day joint maritime exercise with the militaries of Canada, Japan and the Philippines within Manila’s 320km EEZ in the South China Sea.
For months, China and the Philippines have traded barbs over dangerous manoeuvres and collisions at the Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll in the Philippines’ EEZ.
Several incidents have happened when the Philippines deploys resupply missions for its soldiers living aboard an ageing warship in the EEZ.
China has warned the Philippines about intruding into its territorial waters and issued new rules, effective June 15, enforcing a 2021 law allowing its coastguard to use lethal force against foreign ships in waters it claims.
The new rules allow China’s coastguard to detain suspected trespassers without trial for 60 days.
In response, the Philippines Coast Guard said it had ordered the deployment of two vessels to patrol and ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal — about 640km away from Second Thomas Shoal.
Reuters