The Chinese coast guard targeted Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts yesterday and rammed one of them, causing damage and endangering Filipino crew members off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, just a day after similar hostilities at another contested shoal, Philippine officials said.
The Philippines and its treaty ally, the United States, immediately condemned the latest confrontation near the Second Thomas Shoal, where two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and two Philippine coast guard escort ships sailed to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces in a long-marooned navy ship that serves as a territorial outpost.
“We condemn, once again, China’s latest unprovoked acts of coercion and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal that has put the lives of our people at risk,” a Philippine government task force that deals with the territorial disputes said in a statement, using the Filipino name for the shoal.
“The systematic and consistent manner in which the People’s Republic of China carries out these illegal and irresponsible actions puts into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue,” it said. “We demand that China demonstrate that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community.”
U.S. Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said her country “stands with the Philippines and partners in vehemently condemning the PRC’s repeated illegal and dangerous actions against Philippine vessels.” She referred to the acronym of China’s formal name.
“(Chinese) aggression undermines regional stability in defiance of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Carlson added.
The Chinese coast guard said it had “implemented controls in accordance with laws and regulations” yesterday against two Philippine coast guard vessels, including one official ship and one supply ship that were attempting to transport construction materials to the Second Thomas Shoal.
The statement gave no details about the measures taken but said the Philippines action “seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty.”
It also claimed a Philippine vessel ignored warnings and in violation of international navigation regulations made a sharp turn in an “unprofessional and dangerous manner” and intentionally collided with a Chinese coast guard ship, causing “scratching.”
“The responsibility lies entirely with the Philippine side,” the coast guard said.
Coast guard spokesperson Gan Yu described China’s actions as “reasonable, legal and professional,” and said such operations would continue unabated. JIM GOMEZ, MANILA, MDT/AP
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