In a recent escalation of tensions in the South China Sea, the Philippines has accused China's coast guard of damaging two of its vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, rejecting Beijing's claim that it had expelled the ships from the area. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has further strained the already tense relationship between the two countries over the strategically important waterway.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, one of its ships and a fisheries agency vessel were conducting a "legitimate patrol" near Scarborough Shoal when they encountered "dangerous maneuvers and obstruction" from four Chinese Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese Maritime Militia vessels. Video footage supplied by the Philippine Coast Guard showed two larger Chinese vessels firing water cannons from opposite sides of the Philippine ship, causing damage to its railing and canopy. No injuries were reported.
The Philippine Coast Guard says Chinese coastguard vessels fired water cannon at one of its ships earlier today at the Scarborough Shoal, w/in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea - damaging its railing and canopy, evidence, the PCG says of the forceful… pic.twitter.com/ihl8UBL3CI — Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) April 30, 2024
The Philippine task force on South China Sea issues stated that the fisheries vessel was rammed thrice by both the Chinese coast guard and maritime vessels. "These latest demonstrations of China's illegal and irresponsible behaviour highlight their egregious disregard for the Philippines' lawful exercise of its rights and entitlements in our own EEZ," the task force said in a statement.
China, which claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea, has occupied Scarborough Shoal for more than a decade. The shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island and is also known as Bajo de Masinloc, is a small but strategic reef and fertile fishing ground located 130 miles (200 kilometers) west of the main Philippine island of Luzon and inside Manila's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In response to the incident, the China Coast Guard stated on social media platform Weibo that it had expelled the Philippine vessels for "intruding" into the waters, "in accordance with the law." Lin Jian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, urged the Philippine side to "immediately stop its provocative acts of infringement and do not challenge China's firm determination to safeguard its sovereignty" during a news briefing.
The Philippines also reported that China had reinstalled a 380-meter (1,247-feet) floating barrier that "covers the entire entrance of the shoal, effectively restricting access to the area." This latest clash follows a series of similar incidents in recent months, including Chinese coast guard ships firing water cannons against a Philippine vessel on a resupply mission to a contingent of Filipino marines on another contested South China Sea feature, Second Thomas Shoal, in March.
The escalating tensions have raised concerns about the potential for a wider conflict, as the Philippines maintains a mutual defense treaty with the United States, which Washington says covers Philippine vessels in the disputed waterway. The clashes have also called into question the sincerity of China's efforts to reduce tensions in the region, as the two countries had previously agreed to seek better communication over skirmishes in the South China Sea.
The dispute over the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, involves several countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. An international tribunal in 2016 ruled that China's expansive claim had no legal basis, a decision that Beijing has rejected.
